DragonHeart
by BuckNC
Summary: Ron catches Hermione with Draco and takes off for the Romania Dragon Preserve to get over it and find himself. While Hermione finds out why she needs Ron. A very slow Ron/Hermione ship with plenty of romance, action, humor, and a bit of everything. [Re-Post] [Pre-Book6]
1. Chapter 1

Title: **DragonHeart**  
Published: 06-12-05, Updated: 03-29-07  
Chapters: 63, Words: 192,076

Previous Reviews:** 1387 ** Hits:** 312,323 **Favorite:** 300**

**Summary**: _Ron catches Hermione with Draco and takes off for the Romania Dragon Preserve to get over it and find himself. While Hermione finds out why she needs Ron. A very slow Ron/Hermione ship with plenty of romance, action, humor, and a bit of everything. [Re-Post] [Pre-Book6]_

**Author's Note**: First and foremost, this is a Ron Hermione ship fic. The problem is that it's a very slow ship. So please read the first 16 chapters without critizing me that everyone, especially Hermione is Out Of Character. In fact if you read more than the first ten chapters then you will see the characters become more in character as you read. My reasons for writing Hermione and Ron a bit OOC at the beginning was more for storytelling and plot. As often to tell a huge story like this you have to weave a little outside of the lines.

Also, **I've seen too many idiots post flames thinking that this is a Hermione and Draco ship fic**. Read the story first.

_**Disclaimer**__: All characters are the property of J. K. Rowling, and Time Warner. This is strictly for non-profit Internet entertainment use and if they sue me, I do not have a dime to my name._

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Love is Blind**

To Ron, the image that burned in his mind didn't match what he believed to be true. In spite of all the evidence that led him to be standing outside of an empty Charms classroom and watching two people passionately kissing one another, Ron didn't want to believe it. There simply _had_ to be another reason: Polyjuice potion, mistaken identity, love potion or something, _anything_ other than his Hermione kissing Draco Malfoy.

Draco's smirk as he drew back for air and the small smile from Hermione that he had seen thousands of times quickly extinguished his last remaining hopes and started a tidal wave of heartache and pain. He could recognize evil and arrogant Head Boy Draco Malfoy, his arch-nemesis since the first day of attending Hogwarts, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tightly for another embrace. What was not so clear to Ron was the why the Head Girl, Hermione Granger and the secret love of his life, was passionately returning the kiss. Why would Hermione, the brightest, bravest, and most beautiful witch in Hogwarts kiss a boy who for the last six years had done everything in his power and family money to make life miserable for her, Harry, and himself?

_Can't she see through the lies of this arrogant and evil ferret?_ Ron thought to himself.

Hermione giggled as Draco reached into her robes causing Ron to brake from his thoughts. Without hesitation Hermione quickly re-consummated the kiss with a sexual passion that Ron had never seen from her before. The realization of this moment had finally arrived. Hermione was in love with Draco. No longer was she the one that Ron had hoped to spend his life with. She chose another, in spite of his undying love, the life-saving trust between them, and the six and a half years of friendship. In the end, power, money, looks, and extreme confidence were victorious.

Power was something that Ron could never offer her; neither he nor Harry were chosen for Head Boy. Head Boy was a position that offered its own private and shared common room with the Head Girl. Ron was merely a seventh year prefect delegated to do nightly patrols with Filch and Mrs. Norris, while Harry had the honor of being the Quidditch Captain. Not that he minded.

As for money, his family barely made enough to keep him in school. Even his older brothers Bill, Charlie, Fred and George had to contribute to the family so that Ginny and he could buy much needed new school robes. Malfoy had more Galleons stacked at his Gringotts vault than most of the wizards and witches in England combined.

As for looks, Malfoy managed to generate the biggest of smiles from the girls in Hogwarts. His straight blond hair, to his blue eyes, combined with his Quidditch physique made him a heartthrob among the girls. While Ron's lanky body of 6 ft 2, thick messy red hair and second hand clothes had none of the girls turning their heads at him.

Lastly, extreme confidence or in Ron's view of Malfoy, arrogance was wholeheartedly in Malfoy's corner. Ron couldn't dare tell his feelings about Hermione to even his closest friend, Harry Potter. The fear of rejection and ultimately losing her friendship kept him silent for years. He had always known that Hermione could have any bloke in Hogwarts or out, and it scared him more than anything that if he came out with his feelings, she would run to another.

Ron looked in to see Hermione was leaning into Draco for another deep kiss. This sight was the last thing that Ron could bear as he felt the need to find the men's loo. He held his mouth shut as he dashed through a crowd of 3rd years students, past Peeves throwing ink pellets at him and down the staircase to the 2nd floor boy's bathroom, just in the nick of time. His stomach, as if taking marching orders from his heart, violently heaved his breakfast and lunch into the toilet. To make matters worse, after fifteen minutes of trying to recover he realized that he was late for his NEWT Potions class with Professor Snape and immediately sprinted to the dungeons.

Ron opened the Potions' classroom door quietly, and seeing Professor Snape lecturing the class while facing the chalkboard he quickly made his way to Harry and Hermione's station that had an empty seat beside them. Unfortunately, Ron seated himself beside Hermione, while Professor Snape was still lecturing on the uses and benefits of Dragon's blood.

"Now that I've explained everything, except to Mr. Weasley; who thinks he can sneak into my class whenever he likes," Snape snarled, turning around from the chalkboard and looked directly at Ron with a scowl. Fortunately, after six years of taunts from Professor Snape, Ron could easily raise his head and looked at his scowling face with disdain.

"You shouldn't have been late," Hermione whispered softly to Ron.

"Well Mr. Weasley, are you going to at least offer a feeble excuse?" Professor Snape asked, as he moved closer and looked directly in his eyes.

"I was feeling sick and had to throw up in the loo," answered Ron.

Ron almost willed Snape to use Legimency to see the disgusting image of him throwing up in the bathroom earlier. After a brief second, Professor Snape broke the stare and looked disgusted at Ron's answer and the truth.

"Yes, well, be that as it may, 10 points from Gryffindor."

After returning to his desk, Snape tapped a glass sand-dial with his wand, causing the sand to move up from the bottom against gravity to collect upside down on the top.

"You have an hour to complete your Potions." he finished, folding his arms and starting his parade around the room.

Ron just wanted to complete the potion and get out of there. The mere presence of Hermione being so close to him made his heart and stomach ache even more. To make matters worse, Ron caught glances of Hermione smiling at Draco across the room. It was the same glances and smiles that he had been noticing Hermione giving in the Great Hall toward the Slytherin table, for the last few weeks. This led up to a secret note that he saw her reading in NEWT Herbology, that made him follow her after class to the empty Charms classroom.

Draco lifted his head from over his cauldron and returned another smile back to Hermione. Hermione responded by biting her lower lip before she even looked down and across toward Ron.

Ron could really feel his heart and stomach rolling all over again.

"Ron, you haven't put anything in your Potion. Honestly, do I have to do everything for you?" Hermione said exasperatedly, while reaching her hand over to Ron's arm to get his attention.

Ron couldn't even hear what she was saying but could instantly feel the cold touch of her hand as she touched his arm. The image of her touching Draco with the same hand less than an hour ago flooded back to him. He instinctively, jerked his arm away from her, but the damage had already been done, as he raced out of the Dungeon classroom for the men's loo once again.

After spending some more time in the bathroom, he decided not to risk another encounter with Hermione again, so he skipped the rest of his classes. Instead, he ambled to the sanctuary of his four post bed in the Gryffindor's seventh year boys' room.

* * *

"**Ron!** Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked, after climbing the stairs with a worried look on his face.

"No, Harry, I'm far from okay." Ron whined, as he was looking up at the ceiling from his bed, trying to make sense of it all.

"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked, then jumped into his own bed next to Ron's bed.

"I... I saw Hermione...," replied Ron, not able to put the scenes he witnessed into words.

"You see Hermione everyday... **Hello?**" Harry cracked, as he was lying on his side and looking strangely at Ron.

"No, not like that... with another guy," Ron finished, trying to hold his voice on an even tone.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, with a '_not-too-surprised_' look on his face.

"Yeah, Malfoy," Ron replied.

"Maybe you thought you saw something else." Harry remarked, rolling over and away from Ron.

Ron twisted around his bed to a sitting position, to look at the back of Harry lying on his bed.

"I just said I saw Hermione with Malfoy, and all you can say is maybe I thought I saw something else?" Ron said, in total disbelief at Harry's reaction. "Malfoy, the Death Eater wanna-be, who has tried to make our lives bloody miserable ever since we got here. That git-faced Malfoy, ring a bell?"

"I know who the ferret is, Ron. I'm just saying are you sure you really saw it?" Harry replied, still not looking up in Ron's direction.

"**Yeah, Harry, I saw Hermione and Draco in an empty Charms classroom going at it like it was their honeymoon!**" Ron snapped as he wanted Harry to believe him while he tried to hold back the rumbling in his stomach.

An awkward silence settled in between them as Harry exhaled and rolled back over to look at Ron.

Ron immediately noticed the sympathy in Harry's eyes versus the anger he expected to see.

"Ron, she's old enough to make her own decisions."

"You knew –_**YOU KNEW!**_" Ron screamed at his best friend.

Harry groaned in exasperation and spun around on his bed to look directly at Ron.

"Ron, she swore me to secrecy when I found out."

"You're my best mate and you had to a known how I felt about her. **HOW COULD YOU BLOODY NOT TELL ME!**" Ron said lividly.

"Ron, listen, I don't like it any more than you do, but I've always stayed away from getting involved between you two." Harry pleaded compassionately, with guilt written all over his face.

"Well, thank you, Harry, and just how long have you been keeping this to yourself?" Ron asked angrily, as he looked straight at Harry to hear and see his answer.

"Er… about... about a month..."

Ron couldn't reply as he had to race to the seventh year boy's bathroom to throw up again.

**Blaugh!**-

"Ron... I'm sorry," said Harry apologetically, as Ron continued heaving up everything in his stomach.

**Blaugh!**-

"You can keep your apology and you can take your knife out of my back. –**Blaugh!** - Mates don't do this to one another. –**Blaugh!**- **So you can find a new one!**" Ron yelled, with his head in the toilet.

"Ron, you don't mean it. She said you wouldn't be emotionally mature enough to handle this," Harry explained logically, as he tried to calm Ron down from breaking their trusted friendship.

"**Mature?...** Emotionally mature to handle my best mate lying to me about Hermione and her betrayal for the love of Malfoy?" Ron bellowed, while sticking his red and green face out of the toilet. "She's right again, because I can't handle it. **Because, I don't **_**want**_** to handle it!"**

Ron stood up and stuck his head under the shower to wash his face and hair.

"Ron, why don't you just tell her how you feel and I'm sure she'd dump the ferret for you," Harry pleaded with Ron, along the running shower.

"Little late for that, wouldn't you say Harry? I mean, I don't have the emotional _maturity_ like Hermione and you have, but it seems to me that after witnessing them this afternoon that I'm willing to say that **SHE ALREADY LOVES THE FERRET!**" Ron screamed at Harry.

Ron walked out of the shower, soaking wet while still in his school robes and headed straight for the door. He immediately started climbing down the spiral staircase to the Common Room, with Harry trailing behind.

"You know you're right. This is my fault. I mean, I cared and was in love with her for over six years. What I really should've been doing was calling her Mudblood and hoping that a Basilisk would kill her, or hoping that Sirius Black would do her in, or even try to hex her outside the Potions' classroom. Heck, I even forgot about the time he tried to get her expelled when they raided the DA meeting and then last year when he told his old dad on us and watched as we almost got killed. Yeah, that's what I should've done instead. All that evil shit, so I could win her heart and have emotional _maturity_. I mean Hermione can't help it; chicks just dig evil, twisted monsters." Ron said bitterly.

"Ron, will you slow down?" Harry pleaded, reaching the bottom of the Boys' dormitory spiral staircase, as Ron briskly made for the Portrait hole.

"You know, I should've been a Slytherin bad boy, then I could've been the one to date whomever I wanted." Ron cracked madly, while slamming the portrait on Harry's face.

Harry said nothing as he came to a complete stop and simply looked at the back of the Portrait entrance.

"What's wrong with him?" Ginny asked, coming up behind and alongside Harry.

"He knows."

"Oh... I better go talk to him before he does something rash," said Ginny, brushing up against Harry to get out.

"No, Ginny. He just needs some time on his own. He's in a lot of pain." Harry said, as he grabbed Ginny by the arm to stop her.


	2. Chapter 2: Co-op

**Author's Note: **I just want to thank everyone for the positive reviews that everyone left after I re-posted this story. It's a really happy feeling that after so many years that I can still get this type of positive response. Thank you.

I might be tempted to write in a few new chapters along the way, so keep your eye out for them down the road.

* * *

**Chapter 2: ** Co-op

_The whole school will know and I'll be the laughing stock sidekick once again._ Ron thought as he was sitting beneath his favorite tree by the lake underneath the stars and half-moon.

_How am I going too…I have every class with Hermione and not to mention a bunch with Malfoy? I can't sit in another class with them two looking at one another._ Ron thought as he grabbed his rolling stomach.

_And you know that ferret is just going to rub it in, when Hermione's back is turn. I'll have to pound him into lunchmeat and they will expel me because he's the Head Boy and I'm... _

_Dirty rotten lying ferret! _

_He wants that, probably been planning all of this just to see me get expelled. I'll quit first._

Ron thought back to when Fred and George quit and left school.

_They quit and even got to join the Order. Of course, if I quit I can kiss being an Auror goodbye. Well not like, I had a bloody chance anyway. I am barely passing my classes even now and no way can I get all them NEWTs' to be an Auror. Besides they don't want me, they just want Harry. They want the Boy-who-lived, not Stupid-sidekick-Weasley. So stupid he didn't know his girl was cheating on him._ Ron thought, while looking up at the half moon.

"Feels like my heart – ripped down the middle."

Ron hits his head on the tree while he continued to think, "Stupid"…bang…"stupid"…bang…"stupid"…bang.

_Draco has probably dated over twenty girls including Hermione and I haven't even really dated one. I mean I could be the world's worst kisser and I wouldn't know it, and h…he can kiss the knickers off any of them. Merlin, The Anti-Merlin has my girl and I can't do a bloody thing about it!_

"Stupid"…bang…"stupid"…bang.

_Get a grip - now plan your next move. Play like it's wizard's chess. I'm the only piece on the board. I cannot win and I cannot stay on the board for long._

Ron dropped his head to his chest realizing that he can't win this chess match.

_Quit then, Forfeit. Save what's left of your pride and leave. _

_What will I do? I can't bloody well live on the streets. Maybe, I could get Fred and George to let me stay at their place and I can work in their shop in return. I might even try to go to a few Quidditch team tryouts for Keeper. Then who knows if I practice really hard and with a little bit of luck - maybe I can be a Keeper on the Chudley Cannons team. It won't be easy. It's not like I'm a Malfoy where everything and everybody is handed to me on a silver platter. No, I'm a Weasley and I'll just have to work hard enough to earn it_. Ron thought, making his mind up as he stood and walked back toward the castle.

Ron made his way in through the front entrance and slowly walked back to the Gryffindor tower to get his stuff to leave for good.

"Mr. Weasley it's past midnight, where have you been?" Professor McGonagall demanded, as she glided over to him with a stern look on her face.

"Oh… hi professor, I was at the lake," replied Ron not even stopping as he walked past a stern face Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Weasley... Mr. Wealsey stop this instant. No student, even a prefect is allowed to walk on the grounds after curfew." McGonagall shouted angrily in her very strict authoritarian voice, as she was a little bit flustered at Ron's reaction. "I'm afraid you will have to serve a week's detention with Mr. Filch."

Ron wheeled around and unbuttoned his prefect badge before replying, "It doesn't matter, Professor, I decided to quit."

"It certainly does matter… what do you mean quit?" Professor McGonagall asked, changing her tone from anger to confusion.

"I'm quitting Hogwarts. I'm sorry. Here's my prefect badge and - I'm going to miss you," Ron replied, as he handed her his prefect badge and then briefly hugged a confused Professor McGonagall.

For all practical purposes, Professor McGonagall had been the Grandmother he never had as his real Grandparents died during the first war. Ron was definitely going to miss her, in spite of all the detentions and loads of homework that she gave him.

"Mr.… Mr. Weasley you can't be serious?"

"Yes ma'am - I am. I can't stay any longer, ah… for personal reasons. So I'm going upstairs to pack and I'll be gone in an hour or two." Ron said, turning around and walked to the moving staircase with a shock Professor McGonagall following.

"Your mother, Molly, will not approve of this Mr. Weasley," retorted Professor McGonagall trying to keep up with a longer-legged Ron.

"Yeah well, it won't be the first bloody time she yelled at me. But don't worry Professor; I'll still join the Order straight away. I ought to at least be useful for something."

"Mr. Weasley, watch your language and stop right now." Professor McGonagall snapped back at him, as she was a little bit winded at having to try to keep up with him.

Ron stopped at the foot of the moving staircase and waiting on her to catch up. "Sorry Professor, hey can I call you Minerva now?" Ron asked in the hope of being on a more personal level with Professor McGonagall now that he was no longer a student.

"No you may not," snapped Professor McGonagall who started to resize up Ron and the situation. "Mr. Weasley, perhaps it is better if we have this discussion in Professor Dumbledore's office."

Ron gulped for air at the mention of Dumbledore and thought it better to leave him out of it.

"If it's all the same to you. I rather just get my stuff and leave quietly."

"In the dead of night as it were," said Professor McGonagall finishing Ron's thought.

"Exactly ma'am, it just takes me an hour to pack," said Ron smiling back at Professor McGonagall, as she finally understood on how he wanted to leave.

"No, Mr. Weasley, but I promise after you talk with Professor Dumbledore you can leave as quickly and quietly as you want." Professor McGonagall smugly replied as she pulled out her wand and started tapping it against her other hand.

Ron gulped for air again and nodded his head in defeat, as Professor McGonagall lead him to Professor Dumbledore's office with her wand out.

"**Canary Creams!**"

The Phoenix statue spiral staircase moved upward as Ron and Professor McGonagall rode it up to Dumbledore's office.

"Mr. Weasley, stay right here until we call for you. And I do mean right here," Professor McGonagall ordered firmly.

"Yes ma'am."

After twenty nerve wracking minutes outside of Professor Dumbledore's office, Ron heard a voice directed at him.

"Mr. Weasley, you can come in and join us now." Professor Dumbledore said, with a calm voice.

Ron slowly entered the tower office of the Headmaster. The Headmaster's portraits are once again all feigning sleep, and the books and shiny objects are a little bit dustier than usual since the last time he had been in his office. He looked around the corner of the office to see a familiar adult red Phoenix on his perch. Behind the Phoenix is Professor McGonagall standing to the right of Professor Dumbledore, who was sitting behind his cherry oak desk.

"Hello Fawkes," said Ron, as he walked over to the Phoenix and petted his beak.

Over the years since being rescued and carried out of the Secret Chamber, Ron has grown to admire and befriend the resilient Phoenix. Harry was still Fawkes favorite student, but Ron had a feeling he was a close second.

"Please be seated, Mr. Weasley," interrupted Professor McGonagall pointing to an empty chair in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk.

"Yes ma'am," replied Ron as he left a singing Fawkes and fell into the chair assigned to him. He was a little bit tired and impatient at wanting all of this to be over with so he could leave.

"I understand you wish to leave us, Mr. Weasley," replied Professor Dumbledore with a sad look in his eyes.

Ron had never got the sense that Professor Dumbledore viewed him as a favorite student of his, as he did with Fred and George his older brothers, Harry, or even Hermione for that matter. Not that he didn't help or show any displeasure toward him. He just never had a personal connection with the Headmaster. Ron always felt that Dumbledore viewed him as Harry's trusted sidekick and nothing more. So lacking a personal connection, he decided it best to be formal and quick with the answers.

"Yes sir, for personal reasons."

"Would those personal reasons be because of a certain Head Girl?" asked Professor Dumbledore with a touch of sadness in his voice and coming straight to the point.

The abruptness of the question, manage to catch Ron's funny bone. He had been throwing up all day and for all practical purpose was thinking and running with a tank on empty. His wit, pain, and humor seem to be the only things working within him after that last question.

"Ha-ha…hahaha. Am I the last person to know? **Ha-ha!**" Ron cracked madly as he stood up and walked back to the door as he was now laughing with tears running down his cheeks. "**Hahaha…cheers!**"

Ron reached out for the doorknob only to have it snap back shut.

"Mr. Weasley… Ronald, my boy would you like some tea and cake," pleaded Professor Dumbledore waving his wand and creating a platter of slice cake and a pitcher of hot tea in front of him.

"Ha-ha… to be honest with you Professor I've been throwing up all day it seems like, so I doubt if I could hold it down. Haha." Ron said, twisting the doorknob again to get out and wondered why he managed to start laughing and crying now of all times. "I appreciate what you are doing, but I can't stay and I won't. I'm of age, so if you just let me out; I'll pack, leave, then go someplace and quietly die."

"Before you die, how about a little Earl Grey," replied Professor Dumbledore moving around his desk and pouring the tea into a small teacup. "It always soothes my stomach. Come on over and lets talk about it."

Ron twisted the doorknob again, and gave up as he laid his forehead against the magically shut door.

"Mr. Weasley… Ron, you're not the first person to have a broken heart. I can assure you," calmly added Professor McGonagall as she whipped up another chair for herself with her wand.

"She was different - she was special." Ron gulped for another breath of air as he can feel the pain in his stomach. "And now she is in love with an evil ferret. The slightest touch or thought of her makes me vomit." Ron remarked but as he was talking about her he remembered Hermione passionately kissing Draco again in his memory. This caused him to make a quick lunge at a small wastebasket in Dumbledore's office.

After a few painful seconds, Ron pleaded one more time with his head in the wastebasket.

"The deal – **Blagh!** The deal was if I come to this office and talk, then you would let me go quietly. I came, I added something to the trash, and now I'm going." Ron demanded, as he stood up, wiped his face, and tried to maintain his balance as he was talking. "I'll still join the Order and be useful – guard duty, messenger, sacrificed pawn, or if need be a paperweight. I'll be good for something."

Ron walked over to the door and retried the doorknob; it wouldn't budge. His anger kicked in at that moment and he remembered he was a wizard after all. He pulled out his wand and pointed it directly at the door.

"Alohamo…"

Professor Dumbledore, who had been quietly sitting down sipping his tea, as he watched and listened to Ron, pulled out his own wand from his robes. Just before Ron can finish his spell, Dumbledore waved his wand and retrieved Ron's wand from across the room.

"What the…**bugger!**" Ron yelled, as he looked over to Professor Dumbledore putting his wand next to a full teacup set and the empty seat.

"Earl Grey really does help soothe the stomach," replied Professor McGonagall in the most British of voices as she was sitting down beside Professor Dumbledore and sipping her tea.

Ron hard-headily tried the doorknob one more time, and then acknowledged his defeat by walking back over and sitting back down beside a smiling Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"So tell me, Ronald, what are your plans after leaving us?" Professor Dumbledore asked after he finished his tea and looked directly at Ron.

"I thought I stay with Fred and George, practice during my off hours and go tryout for a Keeper on a Quidditch team."

"And what about your plans for Miss Granger?" asked Professor Dumbledore still looking directly at Ron's eyes.

"Professor, I know you are a master at Legimency, but do you mind? It's freaking me out with you in my head. Bad enough, I'm barely in there myself." Ron snapped, and broke his eye contact with Professor Dumbledore.

"Ha-ha ok, Mr. Weasley, but your wide range of emotions and feelings right now are making it difficult for me to see the truth." Professor Dumbledore said, sliding the teacup into Ron's hand. "Not that it matters you have always been truthful to me. So would you be willing to take a few days off from classes, instead of leaving us."

"No, Professor. I really would like to leave Hogwarts quietly and borrowing some emergency home study program, I rather just leave."

"For your brothers in London," finished Professor McGonagall.

"Yes ma'am," replied Ron putting the untouched teacup down beside him.

"Actually we were thinking of allowing for you to leave us for your other brother," replied Professor Dumbledore with a small smile and twinkle in his eyes.

"**Bill!**"

"No, Mr. Weasley."

"**Charlie**, but he's in Romania at the Preserve." Ron said, and then waited for the explanation from Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"We have setup a two to three month Co-op position with the Romania Dragon Preserve. Where, Charlie Weasley, your brother works at. The Co-op is a working position where you will work at handling and taking care of dragons. I envy how much fun you will have. Now you will get a small salary each week, but you also have to work on a twenty-foot scroll for us on what you have learned before coming back to us. Now this will be a long three month Co-op as you will be working there over the Christmas break." Professor Dumbledore said, with a small smile and distant look on his face as he mentioned dragons.

"Excuse me, sir. Is it just me or is it Harry and me," interrupted Ron wanting to know if he had to go beg Harry to join him in order to go.

"No, Mr. Weasley, just you. Providing that you can get the Professor of Magical Creatures recommendation for this Co-op."

"**Just me!** You're not going to send Ginny and a bunch of Slytherin down there a week after me, are you?" Ron asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"No, Mr. Weasley, for the entire three months it will just be you," finished Professor Dumbledore as a small smile played on his lips.

"Now you will be behind in you N.E.W.T. studies when you get back, but you will have at least five months before you actually take the tests, to catch up on the two months of school that you will miss." Professor McGonagall added, as she finished her cup of tea and smiled at the excitement on Ron's face.

"Really? This is real - I can leave right now?" asked Ron almost giddy at not having to drop out of school but still able to leave Hogwarts.

"After you get the recommendation from Hagrid, then you can catch the eight o-clock train at Hogsmeade station to London. Correction – I forgot you can Apparate and you have your license from the Ministry."

"Yes sir, I got it after my birthday."

"Then you can Apparate directly to the Ministry of Magic International Portkey office and they will send you directly to the Preserve." Professor Dumbledore said, tapping his finger on his cheek and stroking his long white beard. "First you have to finish your tea, mind you."

"Yes sir," replied Ron gulping the tea in one fell swoop then jumping up and racing toward the door to go see Hagrid.

"Mr. Weasley, you might need this," reminded a smiling Professor McGonagall holding up Ron's wand.

"Oh yeah. Professors', thank you, both of you." Ron said, racing back to the chair to get his wand and then racing out of Dumbledore's office.

* * *

**Professor Dumbledore's POV:**

"Whew – for a second there Albus, I almost thought he wouldn't take the deal." Professor McGonagall added, exhaling in relief.

"I wonder if we shouldn't have asked again for him to stay. You do not know how important someone is to you until they leave you. I have a very bad feeling we are going to find out just how important young Mr. Weasley is to us." Professor Dumbledore said, in a very tired voice.

Professor McGonagall disagreed. "The poor boy is embarrassed and heartbroken. I do not think anything would have kept him here. If you offered him all the Galleons in Gringotts to stay, he still would've refused."

Professor Dumbledore said nothing as he stood up and moved over to his telescope to see Ron running out on the grounds toward Hagrid's hut.


	3. Chapter 3: Goodbyes

**Chapter 3 – Goodbyes**

* * *

"**Hagrid! Hagrid!**" Ron yelled as he pounded at the door of Hagrid's hut.

It wasn't until he heard the noise of Fang's barking and heavy footsteps that finally made Ron stop pounding on the door.

"Fang move aside. It's bloody three in da morning, this better be good." Hagrid bellowed, as he opened the door and swung it wide open to see a smiling Ron looking at him.

"Ron – what's wrong? Harry in trouble? He's not in the forest is he?"

"No, Hagrid, none of that. I'm sorry I had to wake you but I need to ask for a huge favor," begged Ron in an almost needy voice.

"What favor? At three in da morning, come in here and tell me what's going on." Hagrid said, ordering Ron to come in and pointing at the table and chair for Ron to sit down in.

Ron went in and explained the whole conversation he had with Professor Dumbledore, minus the Hermione part, to Hagrid over tea and his rock cakes. Oddly enough, Ron ate the rock cakes as he figured it would be the only thing he could possibly keep down in his stomach. They were just too heavy to throw up.

"I still don't see why this couldn't wait for da morning Ron. Are you telling me everything?" asked Hagrid suspecting something more from Ron's strange behavior.

"Hermione is seeing…Malfoy, and I want to leave before I see her in the morning."

"Hermione seeing Draco, - **CODSWALLOP!** Where you hear such a lie?"

"Listen Hagrid, I really don't want to re-live it. You can ask her yourself. So can I have the recommendation, please Hagrid?"

"Sure Ron, but you are making a mistake about Hermione."

Ron raced back to the Gryffindor tower to pack. After an hour and a half of packing silently in the dark, Ron had everything he needed and luckily everyone was still asleep, even Harry.

Ron then set down at his study desk; he figured he owned Ginny an explanation.

* * *

_Dear Ginny,_

_I don't have much time so I will be brief. At times like this, you find out who your real friends are and just how important family is. Unfortunately, yesterday I learned the hard way._

_I am leaving Hogwarts for the next three months to take a Co-op job with Charlie in Romania. I am not sure if I will be any good handling dragons, but I definitely will be glad to be away from this place. Please keep Pig for me while I'm gone, because I seriously doubt if he can fly and deliver on such a long international route. Better to use International Postal Owls instead. I promise while I am gone to write once a week to you. _

_I love you Ginny and I am sorry I will not be around during Christmas; it just really hurts and I need some time and space._

_-Ron_

_PS. Keep this info to yourself, I do not want anyone else knowing where I am. That especially means a certain Head Girl._

_PPS. Don't tell Harry, the back stabbing git, either!_

_PPPS. Keep an eye on Harry for me_.

* * *

Ron attached the letter to Pig's leg for him to deliver it to Ginny during breakfast. Then he performed the Featherweight Charm to his old locker and attached it to the back of his Cleansweep broomstick. Finally, he climbed down the spiral staircase for the Gryffindor common room. However, in the common room on top of a chair near the portrait entrance, set Crookshanks watching Ron come down the stairs.

Ron at first used to hate Crookshanks but after several years, they both began to tolerate one another. As if only for the sake of Hermione, both of them learned to be friendly.

"**Meow!**"

"Crookshanks?" asked Ron in disbelief that anyone would be up much less an always-sleeping cat.

"**Purr!**"

Ron petted Crookshanks and said, "Crookshanks…I cannot believe I'm talking to a cat. I am losing it."

Ron exhaled as he finished shaking his head before he added, "Crookshanks keep an eye out for Hermione for me. I am going to be gone for a while, so it is your job to protect her. Oh, and do me a favor if you see Malfoy, claw his balls off for me."

"**Meow!**"

"Five fifteen - just need to drop this recommendation off in McGonagall's office then I'm out of here." Ron said proudly to himself leaving his broom and trunk hovering near the front entrance next to the Great Hall.

* * *

**Hermione's POV**:

Hermione rose up early than usual after having another romantic dream of Draco and her by the lake. She could almost feel his soft kisses on her lips. The sensation brought a small smile to her face as she took a shower and dressed in her school uniform. She decided to go to breakfast a little bit early today, as she had to post the new Prefect Patrol schedule along with the new dress code requirements for Prefects. Lately the school dress code had not been strict as it once was. This allowed students to wear individual apparel and personal clothing items. Not to mention how a few of the boys are looking and dressing like slobs, one Redhead Prefect in particular came into mind when Draco and Hermione agreed to re-enforce the dress code rules. She knew she had to speak with Ron about that and about skipping out of Potions from yesterday. Of course, she would have to wait until eight o-clocks before he usually got up. As for enforcing the dress code throughout Hogwarts, Draco and she would need the staffs' approval for the general student population and the next staff meeting would be a week away.

Hermione strolled to the Great Hall to find a broomstick and a locker near the entrance.

"I can not believe someone, some lazy oaf, left this in the hallway," cried Hermione in the hopes that _the someone_ heard her.

"Fine. Then I'll have to confiscate it until someone is willing to take detention for it," announced Hermione to the hallway as she pulled out her wand and stood beside the broomstick.

She noticed the old and used locker had a Gryffindor seal on it, and looks vaguely familiar to her. Then she unexpectedly noticed the initials RBW on the side of the locker.

"**Expelliarmus**," roared a familiar voice from behind her!

Hermione wand immediately flew out of her hand and landed banging and rolling down the hallway twenty feet away. Now she was mad, as magic isn't allowed in the hallways after classes. She angrily spun around to see a tired and sick Ron pointing his wand at her.

"**Ron, what are you doing! You are-a-Prefect! You are not supposed to be doing magic in the hallways!**" Hermione screamed not believing how stupid her best friend can be. "**Are you even listening to me!**"

Ron ignored her row as he walked past her and jumped on his broomstick. He kicked off the floor to hover at a height of eight feet as if to avoid her reach.

"**Ron you can not fly in the hallways! Get down here this instant!**"

Ron took one last deep look at Hermione before saying, "I'm leaving. Good bye – Hermione Granger."

Ron turned his head toward the front entrance and slowly flew his way to it as Hermione was screaming and jumping at him from below.

"**Ronald Weasley, you get down here this instant! What do you mean leaving! I have a good mind to write your mother!**"

Ron cleared the giant front wooden doors and without looking back, he took off into the sunrise.

"**Ron! RON!**" Hermione screamed at him as she felt an unexplainable feeling of remorse and pain at watching Ron fly away.

* * *

**Harry's POV**:

As Harry and Ginny were eating breakfast, Harry looked up and around the Great Hall before asking Ginny, "Have you seen Ron?"

Before Ginny could respond, Pig flew in a circle pattern over to Ginny and delivered a letter, and then hooted in celebration. The letter brought a worry face to Ginny as she untied the letter from Pig's leg.

"What is it Gin? Is it Ron?" Harry asked as he started to feel worried about his best mate.

He watched as Ginny read the letter in Ron's sloppy handwriting. Then he noticed Ginny's facial complexion turned to a deep red as she finished the letter and replied, "**He left!**"

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. I've been busy being a Beta again. My way of paying it forward.


	4. Chapter 4 - Of Age

**Chapter 4 - Of Age**

:::

* * *

**Hermione POV**:

"Professor McGonagall, **Professor!** I need to report Ron Weasley for leaving school without permission." Hermione said, after running to the Deputy Headmistress' office on the seventh floor from the Front Entrance.

"Good Morning to you too, Miss Granger," interjected Professor McGonagall, a little bit more grumpier than usual after staying up for the entire night. "Perhaps you are not aware of this, but being Head Girl does not excuse you from knocking on my door before entering."

"I'm sorry Professor but it's an emergency. Ron just flew out of the Front Entrance with his locker on the back of his broomstick. We have to notify the Ministry and his mother." Hermione explained, a little bit taken aback at seeing her favorite Professor short with her.

"Really and did he say anything to you before leaving?" asked Professor McGonagall looking up from her papers for the first time to see Hermione clearly.

"Yes ma'am. He was all weird and sick looking as he told me he's leaving and good bye."

"Hmm, I guess he did want to leave quietly after all, but with that mood he was in, I'm surprise he didn't say more." Professor McGonagall said and then turned her stare back down toward her papers.

"Professor – the Ministry, **and his Parents!**" Hermione pleaded not understanding Professor McGonagall behavior and realizing that time is of the essence if they are going to catch Ron.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley is of age and is free to go as he wishes." Professor McGonagall said, not looking up at an exasperated Hermione. "Just as you are."

"Professor we can't let him quit school. What will he do for the rest of his life?"

"What concern is that of yours, Miss Granger?" asked Professor McGonagall in a sharp tone.

"Ron is…is my friend and…"

"I believe you should be using the past tense, when describing Mr. Weasley as your friend. Good day, Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall snapped, then ending the discussion.

"**Professor!**" Hermione whined surprised at the Professor's behavior and reaction.

"Dismiss."

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV**:

"**He left!**" Harry barked, grabbing the attention of everyone at the Gryffindor table. "**Why didn't he tell me!**"

"Why didn't you tell him about Hermione and Draco," Ginny snapped back at Harry and got a little bit wet around the eyes. "How did you think he would feel after learning his two best friends are lying to him."

Ginny shoved the letter into her bookbag as she got up to leave.

"Ginny what else did he say," begged Harry to a hurt and downcast Ginny.

"He wrote, 'Don't tell the back stabbing git, Harry, anything.'" Ginny said, walking away from the Gryffindor table and leaving a hurt and shocked Harry.

Harry stared down at the empty seat of where Ron usually set and started to grieve that he just lost his best mate.

By lunch, the word had spread throughout Hogwarts that Ron had indeed left. Not only that he quit, as Ginny informed her friends and housemates, but he also caught Hermione and Draco together. After he caught them, he was just too heartbroken over it to stay at Hogwarts. Harry continued to be in a state of denial, by telling everyone that Ron would cool down after a few days and comeback. Hermione also seemed to believe him, but was rather guilt stricken about Ron quitting.

It was until Draco Malfoy who stopped by the Gryffindor table for dinner to throw a smile at Hermione and then to gloat about Ron, that set it off.

"So Potter lost your little weasel friend I hear. Don't worry he's probably at a soup line somewhere."

Harry acting on instinct spun around and decked Draco across the face breaking his nose and sending him bleeding to the stone floor.

"**Harry, no!**" Hermione screamed as she jumped up from the table and stepped in between them.

"**I'm a Head Boy, Potter! You'll pay for that!**" Draco growled from the stone floor while wiping the blood from his nose.

"Draco please, he's just mad because of Ron and his stupid…"

**Smack!**

An enraged Ginny had hit Hermione across the face sending her to the floor beside Draco.

"**Don't you ever talk about my brother that way!**" Ginny screamed in a full-blown anger rage at Hermione.

Hermione was shocked from the punch and hurt as she slowly touched the growing red bruise of her cheek.

Draco tried to whip out his wand in retaliation, but was not as fast as Harry and Ginny, both of whom had their wands out and pointed at Draco and Hermione. Neville, Dean, and Seamus quickly jump up with their wands out freezing Goyle and Crabbe; who got up from the Slytherin table to come to the aid of Draco.

"Ginny you hit me, you hit me…two weeks of deten-," Hermione cried from the stone floor as she looked angrily at Ginny.

"**Hermione!** You better not finish that sentence," Harry spoke, moving his wand from Draco to a shock Hermione.

"Ginny let's go," said Harry looking at a furious and angry Ginny with her wand still out and pointing at Hermione.

Ginny nodded to Harry and they slowly left the quiet Great Hall.

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV**:

All the Professors and students witnessed and heard everything, but none of them acted against Harry and Ginny leaving Hermione and Draco to fend for themselves. Apparently, Professor Dumbledore held back Professor Snape from leaving the Professors' Table.

"Draco, are you ok," asked a worried Hermione to the ears of everyone in the Great Hall. "I can't believe they did that, I'll talk to both of them tomorrow. Oh Draco, you have blood all over your robes…"

"I'm fine, but they will…," Draco snapped angrily, standing up and immediately stops talking as he notices everyone is watching and listening to him.

Hermione noticed Hagrid eyes are big as potatoes and his mouth wide open in disbelief as he watched her stand up and perform a cleaning spell on Draco's robes. The Professors' and students' continued to say nothing as they watched a hurt Draco and Hermione followed by Crabbe and Goyle silently leave the Great Hall.

:::

* * *

**A/N:** Please review.


	5. Chapter 5 - Alternative Motives

**Author's Note: **These last two are small chapters and I'm itching to get a move on to the Dragon chapters, which are my favorite.

:::

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Alternative Motives**

:::

* * *

**Ron's POV**:

Ron felt euphoria from freedom as he left Hogwarts and flew off into the sunrise. It was like taking all of his problems and sweeping them under the rug, as he quickly left it all behind him. With each second he flew the greater the distance from his problems. He could have stopped and disapparate from any place private after leaving the Hogwarts grounds, but the thrill and euphoria kept him flying South for three more hours. As he noticed the time, he had to stop and land on a private grassy hill overlooking a small sleepy muggle village in Scotland. He knew he was running late, but he still wanted to see his Dad, who was working in the Ministry, before going to the International Portkey office. Ron knew if he ever wanted to go back home to the Burrows without his mother killing him, he had to explain himself to his Dad and win his support.

Ron, Apparated to the muggle visitor's entrance at the Ministry's office in London with his broomstick and trunk magically shrunk to fit in his pocket. He then made his way up to the fifth floor to see his Dad.

:::

* * *

"Mr. Weasley, your son is here and he wishes to speak with you," announced Mrs. Grabby-Plank to the muggle intercom that his Dad insisted on installing.

Arthur Weasley looked up from his mountain of paperwork to ask via the intercom, "Bill?"

"No sir."

"Charlie?"

"No sir."

Ron walked into his father's office unannounced and replied, "Seeing how I'm the youngest, I thought I save you some time from going down the list."

"Ron? You're supposed to be at school. Are Harry and you in trouble again?" Mr. Weasley asked after regaining his voice in front of his youngest son.

"I know…and no Dad, Harry is not in trouble." Ron said, and then got a warm hug from his father.

"Son, what is it?" Mr. Weasley asked looking confused at his youngest son.

Ron explained the whole story of him getting a Co-op job with Charlie at the Dragon Preserve in Romania. Then after some prodding from his father, he told him about Hermione and Draco after he threw up in his dad's wastebasket. Hagrid's hard cakes did managed to come up after all, leaving Ron's voice extremely scratchy. He even told his father about Harry knowing and keeping it a secret from him. Followed by the meeting in Dumbledore's office, and then him finally leaving Hogwarts.

"Son… I know you feel terrible and heartbroken. I could never imagine Hermione in a million years doing that. You just need some time and space to get over this." His dad remarked, shaking his head in disbelief about Hermione with a Malfoy.

"I know, Dad, can you please tell Mom."

"I will, son. Now be careful at the Preserve, stay close to Charlie, and do as he does…on second thought. He spends more time in the infirmary than anyone else up there does. Just promise me that you will be careful," finished his dad and then hugged him again. Ron smiled back at his dad and then they both walked to the International Portkey office.

Ron's dad stopped him outside of the International Portkey office door to reach deep into his wizard's robe.

"Here it's not much, what with the pay cutbacks, but you can use it to get some new work clothes." Mr. Weasley said, emptying his pockets and handing Ron at least 10 to 20 Galleons and Sickles.

"Deputy Minister?" A nervous International Portkey Ministry official asked in surprise at seeing the Deputy Minister of Magic in his office.

"I'm here to see my son off to the Romania Dragon Preserve," replied Mr. Weasley as he smiled proudly back to the nervous Ministry worker.

"Yes…Minister. Sir, his last name?"

"Weasley, as in the Deputy Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley's son." Mr. Weasley snapped, without missing a beat and earned some small laughter from Ron and a few other Ministry officials working nearby.

"Yes sir, of course. Ah…Ronald Weasley, right here. Just need you to fill out all these forms." The nervous Ministry official said, as he handed Ron a long parchment to fill out.

"I'll take care of that son, go ahead. Now promise me you will write or your Mom will really have a fit."

"I will Dad and thanks for everything," replied Ron as he was hugged his father one last time.

"Just work hard and make me proud." Mr. Weasley said, watching his son touch an old boot and lifting off toward Romania.

Mr. Weasley looked down at the long parchment with the numerous questions and fill in the blank requirements. He smirked to himself as he signed his name at the bottom and then threw the parchment back to the nervous Ministry official.

"All done, good day." Mr. Weasley said, not even attempting to fill out everything on the long parchment.

"Err…Yes sir, thank you Minister."

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV**:

"Harry, thank you," remarked Ginny as she kissed Harry on the cheek in the empty Gryffindor common room. "But I don't need you to defend me, not even to Hermione."

"I didn't defend you, I joined you," replied Harry touching his cheek where Ginny had just kissed it.

"Harry, I got a confession – here," added Ginny who was worried about Harry's reaction as she handed him Ron's letter.

Harry read the letter and was relieved that Ron would be coming back in three months. However, he felt the hurt and pain of Ron's letter directed at him. This left a sour feeling with him that he knew he wouldn't be able to get rid of until Ron came back. He was also happy to read at the end of the letter for Ginny to keep an eye on him, as it meant that Ron still cared for him.

"Dragons. Hope he doesn't meet the one I went against," cracked Harry trying to cheer up a worried Ginny.

"Harry, I'm worried he might not want to come back," remarked Ginny sitting down beside Harry on the couch.

"What do you mean, it's only three months," asked Harry looking at the concern on Ginny's face as she was missing her brother.

"The lure of chasing dragons is very strong in our family, Harry. Charlie was only supposed to study for a year and look at him. He has been up there for almost eight years, now. I just don't see why Ron would want to come back. The N.E.W.T. exams, the war, and Hermione drooling all over Draco… I wouldn't come back." Ginny reasoned, as she laid her head on Harry's shoulder to look at the fire.

"We can write letters to him and beg that he comes back," Harry answered back to her, as he laid his head on top of Ginny's and smelled her lavender and jasmine scent. Harry continued to look at the red sparkling flames in the fireplace.

"What if that doesn't work?" asked a pessimistic Ginny.

"Well then we fly to Romania, tie him to my Firebolt, and drag him back home." Harry replied in a serious voice.

Ginny pulled her head up forcing Harry to lift his own head up and looked directly at her.

"**What!**"

"Hey, good Quidditch Keepers are hard to fine. **He's coming back if he likes it or not!**"

Ginny gave Harry a small smile and a punch in the arm before she laid her head back down on Harry's shoulder again.

:::

* * *

**Mr. Weasley POV**:

"**Albus!**" shouted Mr. Weasley in Professor Dumbledore's fireplace.

"Yes Arthur, I trust you seen your son, Ronald." Professor Dumbledore said at the fireplace as he was feeding Fawkes.

"Yes, he just left and he told me the whole story."

"Arthur, did he use your wastebasket?"

"Oh yes – A male Weasley love sick family trait, I'm afraid."

"I've noticed," remarked Professor Dumbledore lifting up the wastebasket that Ron used for Arthur to see.

"Sorry about that. I would have never guess Hermione would do such a thing."

"Youth is full of mistakes. Is there anything else, Arthur?"

"I just wanted to know that you sent Ron to Romania for him to get over Hermione and not for the Order."

"I'm sorry Arthur you caught me. It was a little of both. He has come a long way and I have a feeling he will be very useful for us in Romania. He has twice the experience and training than any of the other members up there do." Professor Dumbledore said, moving toward the fireplace to answer a father question about his son.

"I know he has, but I don't think he's ready."

"Arthur, your son is more than capable. He just needs to spread his own wings. My sources tell me there is a major Death Eater recruitment drive going on in Eastern Europe."

"Yes, I know – Charlie told me."

"So, Charlie could use the backup and who better than Ronald as a Co-op student."

"Molly is going to have my hide for this," remarked Mr. Weasley worried at his wife's infamous temper.

"I think for both of our sakes, we keep this to ourselves."

"For self-preservation – **agreed!**"

"And, Arthur, I have a feeling after speaking with Firenze that Ronald will not see the last of Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore added with a gleam and sparkle in his eyes.

"Molly will be happy to hear that, but I doubt if she will believe it. Goodbye Professor."

"Goodbye, Arthur."


	6. Chapter 6 - He's on a Co-op?

**Author's Note:** Thank you for your reviews! Wow, sort of neat to get them all over again. I forgot how wonderful it was the first time around. Oh, I also want to apologize to all of you about the grammar. So if you see something just send me a PM and I'll corrected it as soon as possible. Thanks!

:::

* * *

**Chapter 6 - He's on a Co-op?**

**Hermione's POV****:**

The right side of Hermione's face had turned to a nice red and black bruise after lunch. In the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomprey only managed to help her with the swelling and claimed to be all out of Essence of Murtlap to get rid of the bruise. However, Hermione knew she was lying as she noticed a jar of it on top of a medical potions cabinet. Ginny was taking Healer classes with Madam Pomprey and no doubt had an influence on her concerning the missing jar.

To make matters worse her jaw was hurting so much that she could barely kiss Draco, her boyfriend. Of course, it also didn't help that she didn't have any face makeup to hide the bruise. All of the Gryffindor girls, especially Lavander and Pavariti, refused to share any of their numerous beauty supplies with her. This left Hermione trying to hide the bruise with her bushy hair for the rest of the week with mixed results.

This she didn't mind compared to the silent treatment she got from Gryffindor and Harry. During the meals no one would, including her best friend Harry, would set within five feet of either side of her at the Gryffindor table. It was as if she was in a huge bubble of space where ever she set.

Harry even refused adamantly to speak to her in-spite of all her begging and pleading. She was also painfully alone in all her classes, even the ones she shared with Draco. Who still preferred to sit with Crabbe and Goyle.

This all led her to seek refuge with Hagrid in his hut one Friday afternoon.

"Hagrid…Hagrid!" Hermione said, knocking on his door hoping he wasn't in the forest with his half-brother Grawp.

"Who is it?" Hagrid asked as he was wearing a pink apron. He slowly opened his front door with a smile on his face. "Oh Hermione, its yew."

"What do yew want?" Hagrid asked as he dropped the smile off his face while he stared at Hermione for an answer.

"Hagrid is that anyway to treat a friend," Hermione pleaded, wearing a false smile and trying to forget the slight.

"The same can be bloody asked of yew," Hagrid retorted, not moving to let her in his hut.

"Please Hagrid, I just want to talk. No one will talk with me," Hermione begged, giving Hagrid her best innocent smile.

"Oh alright, I never could say no to yew." Hagrid said, stepping back and returning his smile at Hermione. "Would yew like some tea and cake? Just bake some fer Ron. Oh, I shouldn't have said that."

"You know where Ron is!" Hermione shrieked, as she was very excited to know where he was.

Lately, she had found that she missed him more and more since he left.

"I do, but I'm not telling yew. Yew're the last person he needs to hear from, poor fellow." Hagrid said, dropping a hard cake in front of her to eat.

"Please Hagrid. I…I miss him a great deal. I cannot believe he quit school," Hermione begged, knowing that she had to get Hagrid talking to find out where he was.

"Quit Hogwarts, Codswallop! He didn't quit school." Hagrid said, shaking his head no and filling a mug of tea for Hermione.

"But Hagrid, I saw him leave. Is he coming back?" Hermione pleaded, hoping for Hagrid to say more.

"I know what cha yew doing Hermione, and I'm not telling yew. Now, he will be fine, lucky bloke. What I wouldn't give to have a three month Co-op to work with them beautiful dragons." Hagrid said, as a huge smile grew across his face as he daydreamed of Dragons.

"He's on a Co-op?" Hermione bellowed in disbelief.

"Blast, I shouldn't have said that."

"Ron doesn't know anything about Dragons, how did he get a Co-op?" Hermione asked aloud as she shook her head and wondered who would've been foolish enough to give him a recommendation.

"I recommended him fer it. Ah, yew don't need to know all that book-stuff. Yew just need to have a good heart to care fer creatures. Besides, Charlie will be there to teach him." Hagrid said, smiling at Hermione as he set in a chair beside her to drink his tea.

"He's with Charlie…in Romania!" Hermione bellowed, angry with the news of how far away Ron was.

"Oh... alright now that you knew. He was happy to go poor bloke, especially after he told me about Draco and yew," Hagrid added, showing his displeasure at saying Draco.

"Draco is really nice, Hagrid, especially once you get to know the real him. He's not like his father at all," Hermione retorted to defend her boyfriend.

"Codswallop! I know all about the Malfoy family and Draco Malfoy. He's no good fer yew Hermione." Hagrid said, rolling his eyes and then looking down sympathetically at Hermione.

"Thank you, Hagrid, but once you get pass that Slytherin arrogance and get to know him…"

"He's still a ferret! Listen Hermione, I can't believe yew of all people is buying into him." Hagrid said, looking very disappointed at Hermione.

"Hagrid-"

"Hermione, what you need is fer a boy that respects yew, loves yew, protects yew, and someone yew can trust." Hagrid lectured sternly at Hermione from across the table.

"And where can I find such a man," replied Hermione smiling back at Hagrid for his love advice, as she doubted that this particular man really exists.

"Well, I say he's in Romania by now," replied Hagrid turning around in his seat to scratch the back of Fang's head.

"RON! Please. We argue all the time. He's insensitive, tactless, lazy-" Hermione shouted in disbelief as she mentioned all of Ron's faults.

"Yeah, he's got some rough corners, alright. However, he's still a good bloke to have, and yew better be careful. I remember, Bill, his brother used to look a lot like him. Next thing yew know, Bill can't shake the women off of him with a stick."

"Ron… Ronald Weasley. Please!"

"Well yew been warned, but I guess some people have to learn the hard way."

:::

* * *

Hermione stormed into the Gryffindor Common room and was greeted with silent stares from her fellow housemates. Not that she paid them any attention as she was looking for Harry and Ginny. She found them both working on schoolwork on a couch near the fireplace and she immediately made a beeline toward them.

"Ron is in Romania," Hermione announced, wanting to gage their reactions to see if they knew or not.

"Who told you," Ginny demanded, as she was shocked to see Hermione and her knowing where Ron was.

"I have my sources," Hermione bragged, looking confident at a shocked Ginny setting on the couch next to Harry rolling his eyes.

"Hagrid, she got Hagrid to spill the beans," Harry added to the conversation and took some of Hermione's confidence away from her as he told Ginny.

"Figures," said Ginny crossing her arms and falling back into the couch in a pouting manner while waiting for Hermione to continue her rant.

"So you both knew and didn't tell me a thing. Knowing, I was worried sick about him," Hermione commenced to begin her row.

"Bull, you been to busy drooling over Draco," retorted Harry knowing Hermione better than anyone else.

"I was so worried about him," reiterated Hermione as she stomped her foot.

"We are not buying it, so sell it somewhere else," Ginny ranted back at her as she scowled at Hermione.

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

"Grr - fine, but I came here to ask for his Owl postal address," Hermione snapped as she ignored Ginny and looked directly at Harry. "I'll tell him personally-"

"Ron said, no," answered Ginny with a smug look on her face.

"He did not!" Hermione snapped.

"Actually he did, I saw the letter," Harry answered ending the speculation.

"Fine, but I'm going to find out one way or another and I'm going to give Ron a piece of my mind." Hermione said, as she wagged her finger at Harry and Ginny.

"The only piece you are going to get is a fat lip!" Ginny roared as she jumped up off the couch to defend her brother.

"Ginny, Hermione – No fighting!" Harry ordered in his most serious voice with a touch of anger.

"Fine," snapped both girls in unison.

"Hermione, you can help me write a letter to him. Ginny, I promise to let only you address it." Harry compromised between the two girls.

Both of them refused to say anything else again or look at one another.

Tap-tap-tap!

Harry looked back at the tower window to see a large barn owl carrying an international post. He stood up and walked over to the window to let the Post owl inside.

He hooted at Harry in appreciation and flew straight to Ginny's shoulder.

"Who's it from?" Harry asked, as he walked back over to the couch to stand beside a confused Ginny and a tight-lipped Hermione.

Ginny gave the owl a treat and then untied the post from its leg. The owl hooted and then flew away out through the window it came in. Ginny looked down and immediately noticed the familiar sloppy handwriting.

"It's from Ron," announced Ginny to Harry's question.

Hermione immediately reached forward and grabbed half of the sealed post from Ginny. She wasn't quite sure why she did it, as a tug of war broke out between Ginny and herself.

"Hermione – let go!" Harry ordered.

"Aaagh, but I'm not leaving until I hear what he has to say." Hermione said, releasing the post and scowled at a smirking Ginny.

"I'm not reading my letter to you!" Ginny shouted, gaining everyone's attention in the common room.

"I want to hear what Ron has to say." Hermione shouted in exasperation as she looked very angrily at Ginny.

:::

* * *

**Ginny's POV****:**

"Hey, Ron wrote a letter?" Neville asked as he set quietly nearby in an armchair.

"Let's hear it," said Dean Thomas moving over to Ginny, Harry, and Hermione.

Soon a small crowd of Gryffindor gathered around the three to look at the post from Ron.

"I'm not sure if he wants me to read it out loud," Ginny said, as she looked back at her friends and housemates gathered all around her.

"Come on."

"Please."

"Ron won't mind."

"Ok, ok," Ginny replied as she set back down on the couch and finally opened the post.

Hermione smiled in victory as she took a seat next to Harry on the left of the couch.

Ginny pulled out several moving wizards' pictures, and a large letter. She leaned back and started to read the letter aloud for everyone to hear.

"_**Dear Ginny!**_"

:::

* * *

**A/N:** Please note Ron's letter is written in _Italics_ that Ginny is saying aloud for everyone to hear.


	7. Chapter 7 - Dear Ginny

**Author's Note:** I need to confess. These first couple of chapters I've been reposting them without much thought. Reason why, is because I've had these chapters Beta by a certain person, _She-who-must-not-be-Named_, several years ago and I trusted her completely. A recent ANYONOMOUS reviewer correctly identified how bad the grammar was on some of these chapters. To which he is right. Problem being, I've been busier than a moonshiner running from the law. I promise by the end of the month that I'll re-Beta these chapters with a new Beta, the very beautiful and intelligent Maroon Phoenix. She was the one that did an excellent job re-Beta-ing my Escape fic last month.

Until then please bear with me until I am settled in with my new job and city. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a place to set up my new moonshine still. Stupid lawmen busted my old one. :-D

:::

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Dear Ginny**

**Ginny's POV****:**

_Dear Ginny,_

_I'm sorry I left without giving you a hug or an explanation, but as you can imagine I had to leave before everyone woke up. Not that I made it out without being caught by HER._

"Who's HER?" Neville asked, interrupting the reading and looking at Ginny and Harry sitting on the couch together as they looked down at Ron's letter.

"Hermione," replied both Harry and Ginny in unison.

"Oh," said Neville as he glanced over to Hermione slumping down deeper into the couch with an embarrassed expression on her face.

_Why does she have to be such a morning person? This would explain why she is so irritable all the time, especially without her coffee._

_I first arrived on a Monday afternoon inside a giant warehouse on the Preserve. The warehouse, I later found out - the hard way, is the assembly area for Dragon fertilizer. Acres and acres of smelly Dragon dung, with a fifty-foot mountain of rich red clay dirt, and another seventy five-foot mountain of white powder Nitrogen._

_You are probably wondering why I would mention this in my letter on my first day at the Preserve. Well a stout Romanian by the name of Vargas Zoltan comes out and introduces himself as the Director of the Preserve, my new boss. He tells me, Charlie and the rest of the staff are out with the dragons and I would meet with them later. He then handed me a shovel and pointed to the empty fertilizer bags. My first work assignment: Three shovels of Dragon dung, two shovels of Nitrogen, and one shovel of dirt to make one bag of Dragon fertilizer_.

"**Ewww!**," said a 4th year girl quenching her nose.

_To top it all off, the Director told me that all new employees go through an initiation on their first day by not using magic. __**Bugger!**_

_To be honest, I really didn't mind once I started working. Other than the horrible smell, I was glad to work off some frustration and after ten and a half hours of non-stop shoveling, I knew I had a lot. I didn't even notice the time go by. I just kept thinking of all the evil things that the Head Ferret did to HER, HIM, and me. (If you notice, I don't want to spell out their names of my former best friends.) Especially the times where the ferret tormented HER and I came to her defense. This makes me really feel like a loser for caring and trying to be there for my best friends. Strange how caring and wanting to do the right thing does not add up to much of anything in this world._

_After a while, I notice that it was dark and I was still alone in the warehouse. I was not even tired mind you, and could have gone another ten hours but my stomach was growling so much that I stopped to ask when dinner was. I open the doors to find Charlie, Vargas, and over thirty people in the next room making side bets on how long I would last. I am happy to write - Charlie lost two Galleons_.

"You know, Mr. Weasley, is nice and caring; what happen to the rest of your family?" Harry asked, Ginny while he showed a small grin for his cheek.

"We got infected with my mum's need to stay busy and be amused." Ginny said, as she imagined Ron's face at discovering his older brother Charlie had betted against him.

_Charlie, finally introduced me to the people who work with him at the Preserve. They are a multi-national lot from all over the world. There are two men from China, a couple form India, Tania - a cute brunette from Pakistan (I think Charlie has a thing for her.), three men from Africa, four women and four men from South America and the Caribbean Islands, three males and one woman with a thick accent from Russia (My new source for Russian firewhiskey.)_

"**Way to go Ron!**" Seamus hollered causing a round of laughter and a Hermione frown.

_A family name Barrie the father, James, is from Scotland. The mother, Wendy, is from France. (Kind of looks like Fleur, but without the heavy accent and that blasted Veela thing.) The daughter however is a bossy, smart as a whip, talkative, full of questions about Hogwarts, short bushy hair, cute as a button, seven-year-old girl by the name of Jane. I have a picture of her carrying her stuff magical dragon named Danny. (See Picture #1)_

"Oh she's cute," Ginny remarked as she picked up the moving wizards picture to look at.

"She almost looks like Hermione," Harry added as he looked at the picture beside Ginny.

"Oh Merlin, she does," said Ginny then handed over the picture for Hermione to see.

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV****:**

Hermione smiled at the picture with the young girl looked up into the camera while holding her stuff magical dragon flapping his wings.

_After I tried to strike up a introduction and conversation with the Russians in an effort to procure some Russian firewhiskey (By the way, Ginny if you ever want Christmas presents again, you will never tell Mom about this.)_

"Blast," Ginny muttered.

_Jane comes running over to our table and introduces herself to me and then starts to tell me firewhiskey is bad for me._

"She even acts like Hermione," quipped Harry rolling his head over to see Hermione smiling.

_I tried to ignore her, but it is kind of like trying to ignore HER and the nagging that inevitable follows. After falling to get some firewhiskey, I was force to talk and answer as many of Jane's millions of questions for over an hour. The resemblance to HER is scary. I realize now I must have a curse, because I seem to attract these types of girls. I think I would pay a gypsy a lifetime sum of Galleons to change that curse to girls like Lavander and Parvati._

"What," asked Lavender Brown standing near the front as she listened in on Ron's letter?

"Did he just say-," asked Parvati Patil standing beside Lavender and looking at her and then back to Ginny as she read the letter.

Hermione watched as Ginny just continued on completely ignore them.

_I never once heard Dean or Seamus complaining about their girlfriends' nagging or bossing them around to study instead of having some fun. Lucky blokes don't even know how good they got it._

"Dang straight," remarked Lavender as she smiled and looked over at Dean and Seamus rolling their eyes.

"We need better boyfriends," added Parvati who happen to glance over at Harry with a smile, not noticing the small scowl from Ginny.

Hermione lost her good mood and was now angry in thought for some reason.

_Charlie finally took me to his room, which I will be sharing with him for the next three months. It's nice and a little bit bigger than Charlie's room at the Burrow. Moreover, right before I went to bed, Jane came running in and forced Charlie and me to kiss Danny goodnight. Now this is just sad as I'm a seventeen-year-old guy and the only thing I ever kissed on the lips is a magical stuff dragon. The stuff dragon was not even a girl. __**Man – my life sucks!**_

Hermione had to hold a hand over her mouth to hide her own laughter while everyone else in the room was thundering with theirs.

_Anyway, the Preserve is full of morning people as Charlie got me up at five o'clock in the morning for work. The last time, I got up at five was after HIS birthday party when I drank too much butterbeer and had to go to the bathroom. The neat thing I learned is that dragons are morning creatures too. Beforehand, Charlie has me buy a wizard's camera, and some new work clothes at the Preserve gift shop, and then he drags me out to a cliff overlooking the Preserve a mile away from the camp. We just got there before sunset, at first I thought it was a waste of time and just wanted to go back to sleep. After sunrise however, I had to eat my words. (See Pictures 2-5) I look up to see the upper Northern Mountains with numerous big caves and a small tributary of the Tisza River running though the preserve. Then just as quickly, hundreds of all types of dragons come out of these caves and take off flying to embrace the sunrise. __**It was incredible!**__ I always thought the dragons were chained up, but no, they are free to go anywhere inside the Preserve's wards. Charlie smiled at my excitement and awe, told me he felt and looked like me eight years ago when he first came here. I was speechless and just continued to watch them for over an hour before we had to leave to go feed them._

_**Feed them, can you imagine!**__ Hundreds and hundreds of fire breathing, grumpy in the morning before their thirty galleons of kerosene to drink and at least fifty to hundred pounds of raw bloody meat and fire plants to eat for breakfast. In addition, let me tell you, they want their breakfast right away or else. I never felt like a house elf so much in my life. I definitely have a desire to renew my SPEW membership so long as I do not have to meet the president and founder again._

Hermione hung her head as she thought, "Ron, it's S-P-E-W not spew. How many times do I have to say it to you?_"_

_Well, I have to go. Charlie is going to show me how we get Dragon's blood._

_Ginny, I love you and I miss everyone at Hogwarts, well almost everyone. Charlie says hey kiddo and to stay away from fast talking guys. I would like to add stay away from blonde Head Ferrets._

_Love from your favorite brother, _

(_Then that would be me! – Charlie XXXOOO) _

_-Ron_

_PS. - Steal Harry's blanket when he is asleep tonight. He hates waking up with his feet cold._

"**Ginny you better not – I'm serious!**" snapped Harry as he looked at Ginny with a persuasive stare.

_PPS. – Keep an eye on him, the git!_

"Who's he calling a git," said Harry giving Ginny a smile.

_PPPS. – Take the pictures for Hagrid to see, as I know he will get a kick out of seeing the dragons, and I owe him a big one for helping me. Tell him I promise more dragon pictures to come._

Everyone looked at the pictures in amazement as hundreds of dragons flew across a sunrise landscape.

"Wow," said Neville summing up what everybody thought of the letter after seeing the pictures. "Is he going to write every week?"

"Yes, he promised. It looks like we will be getting one every Friday night." Ginny said, to her housemates, as they are all excited about listening to Ron's letters again.

:::

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was the first of the letters. Please note Ron's letter is written in _Italics_ that Ginny is saying aloud for everyone to hear.


	8. Chapter 8 - Anti-Magical Cleaning Hex

**Author's Note:** After the last chapter Author's Note, I need to confess a few of my sins. The biggest is my denial to acknowledge my own mistakes… and they are MANY. I wrote the bad grammar that you've read so far and then tried to blame my mistakes off on an old Beta who I didn't even want to mention by name. The real reason why I didn't want to mention her name is the 5 Steps of Grief that I extensively went through after she dumped me. It was my own Battle of Hogwarts, Chamber of Secrets, and Department of Mysteries rolled up into one. Truth is - this story was practically co-written by this person back in 2007. She worked tirelessly to smooth the flow, edited out the bad grammar, and polished it with various character comments and plot suggestions. I even offered her an official co-author acknowledgement back then but she humbly refused. Instead, I awarded her hours and hours of work by dedicated the entire story to her on the last chapter.

_Story is dedicated to the lovely, beautiful, exciting, funny, witty, neurotic, a bit sadistic, sexy, brilliant, loving, radiant Amy, aka Harrysmom._

:::

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Anti-Magical Cleaning Hex**

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV**:

Hermione had mix emotions after leaving the Gryffindor Common room to go to her private Head Girl & Boy suite. She was happy to hear from Ron and laughed along with Harry and the rest of Gryffindor at Ron's humor. Ron could always bring a chuckle or a silent laugh out of her. Although she never told him out of fear that he would turn more and more like his older brothers, Fred and George. However, she was also sad to hear the pain and anger directed at her from Ron. She decided that if she was ever going to make her relationship with Draco work then she would need to get Draco, Harry, and Ron to like one another.

An impossible task for anyone else, other than herself – the smartest and best Head Girl that Hogwarts ever had. At least this was what she viewed herself as and secretly even hoped to have it written in _Hogwarts, A History_ as such.

"**Draconus Nimbulas!**" Hermione said to the portrait of Sir Cadogan guarding the entrance of the Head Boy and Girl's suite.

"Enter milady," replied the old knight trying to stay upright on his steed but falling off after he opened up the entrance for Hermione. "Whoa you blasted mule, **I said whoa…please whoa!**"

Hermione walked into the Head Common room to see Draco sitting in his armchair looking up at her in a brooding mood.

"Draco what's wrong?" Hermione asked running over to Draco.

"Nothing sweet," Draco said, then grabbed Hermione and forced her to sit on his lap so he could turn her head and give her a passionate kiss.

"Mmm, really you can tell me," Hermione pleasantly said, after she withdrew slowly from the kiss and wrapped her arms around Draco's neck.

Draco pushed her hair aside to see the old and small bruise on Hermione's face.

"Did Potter and that Weasley girl apologize for what they did to you?" Draco asked as he looked directly in Hermione's eyes waiting for a response.

Hermione stiffened, as she never got around to asking for their apology. To make matters worse, Draco would be angry if he knew that she stayed up in the Gryffindor Common room to listen to Ron's letter. She thought it better to distract him before she answered; she leaned down and initiated another deep kiss only to have it broken off by Draco now scowling at her.

"They didn't, did they? I am sick and tired of Potter always getting away with breaking the rules." Draco spouted after pushing Hermione off his lap.

"Please, Draco, if you two could just sit down and let him see the real you-," Hermione begged, as she was scared for her best friends as Head Boy Draco could possibly get them expelled.

Draco reached up and rubbed Hermione's bruise before softly growling, "No one attacks me and my girlfriend and gets away with it. One way or another, they will pay. He won't have his bumbling sidekick to protect him now. He's probably off washing dishes somewhere."

"Draco, they are my friends and I won't let you do anything to them." Hermione ordered, turning a serious and demanding stare at Draco.

"Relax sweet, I plan to follow the rules, unlike Potter, by asking for his suspension and expulsion during the next staff meeting. They will have to agree to it as it was in full sight of everyone." Draco bragged, with his trademark sneer and then he gave a sweet smile to a nervous Hermione.

"Draco please - don't, I beg you." Hermione pleaded, as she stepped closer to Draco and placed her hands on his chest.

"Hermione, we agreed when we became Heads to enforce the rules." Draco stated, while closing his hand on top of Hermione's hand.

"I know, but…"

"But nothing," replied Draco and then finished the discussion by shoving Hermione up against the wall and kissing her forcefully.

:::

* * *

"Well that the last item on the agenda is there anything else?" Professor McGonagall asked to the crowded staff meeting in Headmaster Dumbledore's office.

Hermione immediately raised her hand.

"Miss Granger," remarked Professor McGonagall, in a tone that she expected for Hermione to have something to say first.

"Thank you, Professor," replied Hermione, as she stood up from the couch sitting beside Draco. "We, Head Boy Mr. Draco Malfoy and I are aghast at the lax and illegal uniforms and dress code that students are wearing and we wish to strictly enforce the official Hogwarts dress code rules."

Hermione smiled at a non-committal Draco when she mentioned him as the Head Boy, and failed to notice the slash of disgust from Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, and a few of the other Professors in the office.

"Excellent suggestion, the students have been violating the rules for far too long. I fully endorse this and second the motion." Professor Snape added and briefly nodded at Draco in approval.

"Yes… very well. Are there any other items, important ones perhaps?" Professor McGonagall remarked slightly aggravated by Hermione's suggestion and presences.

"Yes, Professor, a very important one." Draco offered as he stood up to address the staff meeting.

"No," whispered Hermione realizing what Draco was about to say.

"Go ahead, Mr. Malfoy," ordered Professor Dumbledore from behind his desk and staring down at Draco through his half-moon glasses.

"I wish to bring to the staff's attention the disciplinary problem of Mr. Potter and Miss. Weasley." Draco said in a formal tone of voice as he addressed everyone in the room.

"Ferret," muttered Hagrid standing in the back of the room.

Draco ignored the degrading comment and pressed on.

"Last Wednesday in the Great Hall, Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley did malignantly and appalling attack both Miss Granger and myself without provocation. I request that they be order to attend a Student-Professor disciplinary hearing chair by Professor Snape and the Heads for expulsion." Draco said, smugly and confidently in a formal manner as if he was delivering a speech to Parliament.

"Mr. Potter has been breaking school rules for years and he should be held accountable for his irresponsible actions." Professor Snape added in agreement with his favorite pupil.

"No. Staff dismissed." Dumbledore said dryly, showing a small smile at a shocked and outraged Draco who was flabbergasted by his decision.

Hagrid and most of the staff stood up to leave, but stopped as Draco stormed up to Dumbledore's desk to yell. " **So, once again Potter gets away with it! I guess the rules don't apply toward your favorite and that pathetic Weasel family – who are nothing but a bunch of dropouts!**"

The room filled with the crackling noise of Hagrid's knuckles, but Dumbledore waved him off before re-addressing Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy if anyone is to be expelled it should be you. For years, you have used the rules when it met your purposes and ignored them when it did not. I am well aware of all your activities these last six years. The reason you are still here today at Hogwarts is out of respect for your Head of House, Professor Snape. The reason why you are a Head Boy is also out of respect for Professor Snape. As for the matter of Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley, the fight was something that you initiated, as you so often do, by antagonizing them about Mr. Weasley. Who is not a dropout, but a Co-op student – _who will return_. I can imagine his reaction, on his return, to the news of you antagonizing his sister and best friend will be somewhat more heated than what you faced in the Great Hall." Dumbledore firmly said, as he noticed the flash of anger on Draco's face at hearing Ron will return, and then a flash of fear at Ron's future reaction to him.

"Furthermore, Mr. Malfoy, I have only one expulsion paper already filled out inside my desk. It has your name on the top of it and only requires my signature at the bottom. I plan to give copies to the Ministry, Gringotts Bank, and to the Malfoy family banisters. Oh yes, Mr. Malfoy – I am well aware of your trust fund and how you will not be able to collect a single Knut of it, if you are an untrained wizard expelled from Hogwarts." Dumbledore stated while lifting the expulsion paper out of his desk for a wide-eyed Draco to see.

"When my Father-," growled Draco before Professor Snape put a hand on his shoulder to silence him.

"If he escapes one more time from Azkaban, after I have already personally put him in there, than I will be forced to wipe his memory of every evil Dark Arts and magical spell he ever learned and force him to live his life as a Muggle." Dumbledore snapped, with a look of blazing anger in his eyes as he leaned menacingly forward toward a surprised Draco.

After a brief second, Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and his temper before he finished talking. "Perhaps as a useful Garbage Collector, often the most manual of labor jobs are the most rewarding."

Draco was forced to retreat in fear and disgust at the mentioning of losing his huge trust fund and his father being turn into a family embarrassing Muggle Garbage Collector. Professor Snape assisted by swiftly pushed him out of the office past the chuckling of Hagrid and some of the other staff members at the door.

Soon the office cleared out except for Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and a timid Hermione.

"Miss Granger is there something else?" Dumbledore asked coldly toward Hermione still sitting on the couch.

"Err… I can't believe. He really is nice once you get to know him, Headmaster." Hermione said, timidly and at a lost to explain Draco's actions.

Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes and turned her back on Hermione to pick up a pile of paperwork off Headmaster Dumbledore's desk.

"Perhaps you're right, Miss Granger," replied Dumbledore with a small smile on his face as he looked at Hermione. "Miss Granger, I realize you're busy what with your studies, and now the new responsibilities of enforcing dress codes. However, I was wondering if I can press upon you for some assistance."

Hermione jumped up from the couch full of excitement and said, "Yes, Headmaster, I be happy to help."

"No, on second thought, you are much too busy for this," remarked Dumbledore feigning his earlier request.

"**No sir!** I be delighted to help. I mean, I am extremely busy right now, but I consider it my duty to help out with the school, the Order, or even the war effort." Hermione pleaded, as she excitedly jumped up to in front of Dumbledore's desk.

"Nothing of that scale, but it is something you have been crusading for the last few years. In fact, I heard about your lengthy speeches to the House elves right before the evening meals. The elves were most excited to report this back to me." Dumbledore said, as he stood up and guided Hermione to the back of his office.

"Ha-ha, oh yeah… excited," cracked one of the Headmasters Portraits before feigning sleep again.

Hermione wasn't sure with what the former Headmaster meant by that. Headmaster Dumbledore didn't even seem to notice.

"Thank you, Headmaster." Hermione continued on. " I'm afraid I haven't converted any of the House Elves beside Dobby with S-P-E-W doctrine, but I feel I'm slowly making progress." Hermione proudly stated, not noticing Professor McGonagall rolling her eyes again as she was pretending to be busy signing paperwork.

"Yes, about S-P-E-W views, you probably noticed my office is a little bit unclean since the last time you were up here requesting longer classroom hours for the students." Dumbledore replied, as he stopped in the back of his office and smiled warmly at Hermione.

"Merlin," moaned another Headmaster Portrait who then quickly feigned sleep.

"Well, I didn't want to say anything about your office. Professor about the request for longer classroom hours that we could really use-" Hermione said, after looking around at the dirt and dust in Dumbledore's office.

"No, I'm afraid the Board of Governors turned down your wonderful proposal for longer classroom hours," replied Dumbledore as he showed a face of regret for Hermione.

"Darn," pouted Hermione not noticing several of the Headmaster Portraits roll their eyes and shake their heads disapprovingly at her.

"Miss Granger, the house elf who usually cleaned my office has been out sick for a month, poor boy, and I am afraid to admit as the World's Greatest Wizard – I am simply horrible with cleaning spells."

Hermione chewed her bottom lip to keep from smiling after learning Dumbledore could not perform elementary cleaning spells.

"No problem, Headmaster," remarked Hermione pulling out her wand.

"No, I'm afraid at my old age that I accidentally performed an Anti-magical Cleaning Hex on my office. Even our own Professor Flitwick is unable to remove it." Dumbledore alleged, with an embarrassed expression on his face.

"Oh… I guess we will have to do it the Muggle way then." Hermione reasoned than paused to think about what the Headmaster explained to her. "Er… Headmaster, I never heard of an Anti-magical Cleaning Hex." Hermione said, wondering if the Headmaster had really done that, but not willing to doubt him.

"It's an old spell… but not a very useful spell, I'm afraid. I can imagine you never read about it. Why would you?" Dumbledore asked as he stopped to pick up a small wastebasket and then guided Hermione to his office door.

"I guess not. I can't imagine too many wizards and witches wanting to perform that spell," Hermione cracked in agreement.

"Not many indeed. You can find brooms, brushes, and cleaning supplies with Mr. Filch. You can start with cleaning this wastebasket and then tomorrow you can clean the rest of my office right before the evening meals. Thank you, Miss Granger." Dumbledore ordered, as he swiftly handed Hermione the wastebasket and even more swiftly guided her out of his office.

The Headmaster's office door magically slammed shut behind her.

:::

* * *

**Professor's McGonagall's POV**:

"Albus, an Anti-magical Cleaning Hex?" Professor McGonagall skeptically inquired, as she looked at Dumbledore with an expression that she knew no such spell existed.

"The youth sometimes blindly follow authority," replied Dumbledore smiling at himself as he returned to his desk.

"Unfathomable brilliant book smarts and not an ounce of street smarts." Professor McGonagall stated, while looking at the couch where Hermione just set in.

"I believe that was Mr. Weasley's department."

"Speaking of, I take it that wastebasket was previously used by Mr. Weasley." remarked Professor McGonagall in a knowing fashion at Dumbledore.

Headmaster Dumbledore merely smiled in reply with his eyes full of mirth.

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione stood outside of Dumbledore's office and wondered how she just got kicked out of his office so quick. She then looked down at the wastebasket and noticed smelly old vomit inside it.

"_Eww_," thought Hermione as she searched for Mr. Filch and the cleaning supplies.


	9. Chapter 9 - Announcements

**A/N**: _Sorry for the long wait. I'll post more this week._

:::

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Announcements**

**Hermione's POV:**

The next afternoon just after classes, Harry stood up on a chair and made an announcement to his housemates in the Gryffindor Commons room.

"**Listen up! Everyone gather around, I have an announcement to make!**"

All the Gryffindor students' became quiet and circled around Harry. Harry in the last three years for all practical purposes was the de facto leader of the Gryffindor house and had everyone's support and loyalty. Although, Harry never outwardly asked for the role, it was something that was generally assumed and agreed upon by his housemates. He just had a way about him even without all the Boy-Who-Lived and past heroics. He was a natural leader and this made his friends and housemates follow his lead.

"Harry... Harry," Hermione whispered while gently grabbing at Harry's robe.

"What Hermione," Harry asked trying to control his temper as she was interrupting him?

"Well, Harry as you know... all announcements have to be cleared with the Heads." Hermione stated with a little bit of fear at getting Harry angry.

Her fear was well founded as she noticed a flash of irritation shoot across Harry's face. Swiftly, he turned his head and made his announcement. "**Listen up!** Our Air Head has lost us our star Keeper with two weeks to go before our match with the Slytherin."

Hermione slid slowly back down into her armchair next to Harry. She may be the Head Girl and had nothing directly to do with Ron leaving, but even she wasn't crazy enough to mess with Harry when he was angry.

"**She also won't let me wear my designer robes!**" Lavander shouted and looked rather angrily at Hermione.

"**Nor my family scarf and some of my makeup!**" Parvati shouted in turn just as angrily as did Lavender.

The Gryffindor Commons room then erupted into even more complaints and yelling over the dress code and her enforcement of it. However, Hermione was going to bravely stand up and defend herself to her fellow housemates. She resolutely stood up in her armchair beside Harry to address all of them.

"Now listen, we are simply enforcing the old dress-"

"**Hermione! Not... another... word!**" Harry bellowed, as he looked very angrily at Hermione and in the process immediately silenced the room.

Hermione pouted angrily but got off the chair and sets back down. She even looked away from Harry's scowl.

"As I was saying, I agree with you about the stupid new dress code." Harry remarked turning his face down toward Hermione and almost dared her to argue with him. "Unfortunately, I can't do anything about it other than talk to Professor Dumbledore about removing them. I can't promise anything, but I'll try."

Hermione continued to pout as she crossed her arms over her chest and said nothing as she looked away from Harry. Meanwhile, most of the students acted dejected but were appreciative of Harry's best effort attempt to remove the new dress code rules.

"Now the announcement I came to make is since a certain un-named witch, who better be quiet for the rest of this announcement, lost us our Keeper. We need to have an emergency tryout for Keeper. Now, I'm not picky, so if you can fly a broomstick and have seen at least one Quidditch match, then you are to report to the Quidditch field tomorrow at five o'clock."

"What about First years?" An excited first year student asked.

Hermione could tell Harry was wondering if he was ever that small when he played during his first year.

"Yes, desperate times call for desperate measures."

Hermione instantly jumped up from her armchair as she was unable to hold her silence. She immediately implored Harry. "Harry, you can't... it's not safe for the first years and you know-"

"**Silencio!**" Harry roared, after he yanked out his wand from his robe with lighting fast speed.

Hermione unaware that she had been hit with a Silencing charm kept mouthing and pointing her finger at a livid Harry.

"**Thank Merlin!** **Now if we can just leave her like this!**" A female fifth year roared, earning laughter from most of the people there.

Hermione finally realized she couldn't speak while she was being laughed at. She pulled out her wand to do the counter-spell, only to have her wand snatch out of her hand by none other than Ginny Weasley.

"Hermione for your own good sit back down before I do a permanent sticking charm to your arse and that chair." Ginny growled while pointing Hermione's wand at a livid Hermione forced to slowly sit down again.

"Now don't forget tomorrow at five o'clock. I will put up Cushion Charms all around the goal hoops, so nobody will get hurt. Thank you."

"Ok, Harry," shouted an excited second year.

"**No, thank you Harry for shutting her up!**" A fourth year male student cracked and earned another round of laughter at Hermione's expense.

Harry got down from the chair and walked over to a hurt, angry, and pouting Hermione sitting in her chair. She was busy scowling at Ginny, as Ginny continued to point her wand at her. Hermione turned her head to give Harry a hurt look.

"Hermione, you know why I'm so short with you right now?" Harry asked, still looking angrily at her.

Hermione, also still angry and pouting, shook her head no.

"Because not only have I lost a really good Keeper before my match with Slytherin, but now I have to go upstairs and write a really long letter apologizing to my best mate for having my other best friend make me promise to lie to him. **A lie for the safety of Draco Malfoy, no less!**"

Hermione started to mouth a defense of Draco before Harry held up his hand to stop her.

"**Don't give me that he's really a nice guy – crap!** Hermione you are my best friend, so I am telling you this for your own good. Drop the ferret and beg and plead for Ron to take you back." Harry said, watching a shock and then defiant Hermione shake her head no.

"**Stubborn git!** Ginny give her back her wand. I will be upstairs writing that letter to Ron." Harry said, shaking his head in disbelief as he made his way upstairs.

Ginny tossed Hermione her wand back and watched as she performed the counter-spell to herself.

"**Really!** I can't believe he did that, and as for you Ginny I could have you serving two weeks of detention." Hermione said, pointing her finger at Ginny.

"You just won't admit that you like Ron and you are perfect for one another," replied Ginny immediately sending Hermione into shock.

"Since when were we ever perfect for one another?" Hermione retorted after getting over the shock of Ginny's statement.

"Since I've known you two," answered Ginny as she talked and escorted Hermione to the Fat Lady Portrait exit.

"Ginny, we are just best friends." Hermione said, stopping at the exit and looking at Ginny, her only real girlfriend, in a pleading fashion. "Ginny, I'll forget about everything that's happened because no matter what you are still my friend, but you have to let me write a letter to Ron. I want to apologize to him and ask that he try to accept me dating Draco."

"I don't think he will read it, but I'll send it to him. Hermione, you are still my friend too. Just please think about what Harry said, especially about Draco. I worried that you are going to get hurt."

"Thank you Ginny," Hermione replied, giving Ginny a hug to heal the fight and tension between them that they had the week before.

Hermione released her hug with Ginny and then slowly left via the Fat Lady Portrait exit.

Before the Portrait had closed she overheard Ginny saying, "Both of them are too stubborn for anyone else."

:::

* * *

Hermione made her way toward the Headmaster's office with her head full of flooding thoughts and unidentified feelings, as she heard a familiar voice from inside the office.

"Our source said they will meet at the Lujza street corner pub in Budapest on Wednesday night. It's near the railroad station in the Józsefváros district."

"I'll send word to dispatch Charlie and a small team to intercept and surveillance that meeting." In a voice that definitely sounded like Professor Dumbledore.

"You mean Ron," said the familiar voice.

The name Ron immediately got her attention as she listened by the door.

"Hold on Arthur, **enter!**" Headmaster Dumbledore ordered and the front office door magically swung open.

Hermione walked into the office to find Mr. Weasley's head in the fireplace.

"I just came to clean up your office. Hello, Mr. Weasley." Hermione politely said to Professor Dumbledore and then to Mr. Weasley in her warmest voice, as she was very fond of Ron's dad.

"Oh... hello, Miss Granger," Mr. Weasley replied very distant and formal.

"Unfortunately, Arthur by my own error Miss Granger has to clean my office the Muggle way." Headmaster Dumbledore said to fill the gap of silence after Mr. Weasley said hello to Hermione.

Hermione was feeling a bit guilty and hurt at having Mr. Weasley being so distant and formal with her. No doubt, Ron had told him about Draco and her dating.

"Oh really. Miss Granger?" Mr. Weasley asked in an excited manner.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Hermione answered, now smiling at Mr. Weasley for being a less distant to her.

"I was wondering if you could clean something for me too?" Mr. Weasley asked in a father-know-best voice of his.

"What sir?" Hermione asked, a little bit worried with what he was going to ask.

"Could you please clean my wastebasket for me, thank you?" Mr. Weasley quickly said, handing over a wastebasket to Hermione thru the fireplace via the floo network. "Albus, we will talk later, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Arthur."

Hermione looked down at the wastebasket to see smelly old vomit in it, and heard Professor Dumbledore chuckling behind his desk.

:::

* * *

**A/N:** Please review.


	10. Chapter 10 – Where's Oliver?

**Chapter 10 – Where's Oliver when you need him.**

**:::**

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

Harry shook his head after watching a third year boy miss the Quaffle and then accidentally fly his broomstick into the left Goal hoop rim. The third year boy flew backwards off his broomstick and went screaming thirty feet straight down to the ground. Luckily, the cushion charms Harry put up saved the third year from going to the Hospital Wing. He was lucky than most of the tryouts in that regard.

"Good try...**NEXT!**" Harry shouted, getting angry and angrier after each tryout.

"**AAAAGGHH!** " A fourth year girl screamed after getting hit with a Bludger causing her to bounce against the Goal hoop, then the stands, and finally falling on to Harry's cushion charm.

"**Next!** "

"Mr. Potter, any luck?" Professor McGonagall asked, as she glided over the Quidditch field to where Harry and a long line of tryouts were standing.

"**Smash!**" roared the noise above their heads of a sixth year Gryffindor boy flying his broomstick into Colin Creevey, a Chaser.

Luckily, both of them make it back down to the ground as Colins held his ribs in pain. All the while, the sixth year boy was bleeding profusely through his broken nose.

"**Luna!**" Harry screamed, turning his head toward the stands to see a long dirty blonde hair girl wearing a giant Gryffindor hat on her head and her wand behind her ear.

"Yes, Harry," replied Luna Lovegood in a spacey dreamy like voice as she was waiting on her boyfriend, Neville Longbottom, to tryout for Keeper.

"**Can you take them to the Hospital Wing and don't worry I won't tryout Neville until you get back!**" Harry shouted up at the stands at Luna wearing her Gryffindor hat, Ravenclaw robes, red radish earrings, and her butterbeer tops necklace.

"Sure, Harry," Luna replied, as she got up and folded her Quibbler magazine into her robe, then made her way out onto the field.

"Thank you Miss Lovegood, five points for Ravenclaw." Professor McGonagall added, while smiling at Luna as she helped an injured Colin and the sixth year up to the castle.

"**Next!**" Harry shouted, barely able to control his anger in front of his Head of House.

Professor McGonagall looked down from Harry to a clipboard that he was holding. On it has a heading of Player Evaluation, and under that a blank nothing. She exhaled in disappointment, and then turned her head to see Ginny doing a small dive and then a tight roll as she threw the Quaffle at the upper right Goal hoop. A first year boy managed to fly up to the ring and catch it, but was not strong enough to block it as he, his broomstick, and the Quaffle went flying through the hoop backwards.

"Well at least he held onto it," Harry said, about to write something on his clipboard for the first time.

"Oh dear," remarked Professor McGonagall as she was immediately feeling guilty at letting her starting Keeper leave.

"**Next!** Professor, I'm this close to hopping on my broomstick, flying to Romania, tying him up, and dragging his heart broken arse back here." Harry griped, holding his thumb and pointing finger an inch apart.

"**AAGGGGHH!**" A fourth year girl shouted as she ducked a Bludger by falling off her broomstick to land on the ground and be saved by the cushion charm.

"I might join you," remarked Professor McGonagall looking back at the long line of tryouts. "Maybe I can order Oliver Woods to repeat his seventh year."

"Not likely, he just made starting Keeper on the National Quidditch Team." Harry said, informing her and then looking over at the long tryout line wishing Oliver was in it. "**Next!**"

"Come up to my office, no matter how late it is, when you-"

"**AAAGGGHH!**"

"-if you find someone," ordered Professor McGonagall. Who then left the field wishing that Molly and Arthur Weasley had not stop making children after Ginny.

"Yes Ma'am. **NEXT!**" Harry growled in frustration.

**:::**

* * *

"**Longbottom!** Neville Longbottom… I mean I never seen a student make such a huge improvement over these last few years, **but Mr. Longbottom as starting Keeper?!**" Professor McGonagall exasperated in disbelief at Harry Potter standing in the middle of her office with a clipboard.

"Yes Ma'am. Neville, but it's not like it's a choice I made, like picking which player is better – there's only him." Harry remarked as he handed over his clipboard to Professor McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall snatched the clipboard and sees:

**:::**

* * *

_**Longbottom, Neville**__ – _

_**Pros: **__Able to block the Quaffle _

_Able to stay on a broomstick after being hit with a Bludger_

_**Only one able to block half of the attempts and stay on a broomstick!**_

_**Cons: **__Needs help with flying_

_Needs to learn how to duck a Bludger_

_Needs help with recognizing Quidditch plays_

_Needs help with decision making on deciding which Goal Hoop to defend_

_Dates Luna with a really loud hat that would attend all of our practices_

_**Needs Help!**_

_**Not Ron! **__I hope a Dragon sits on him!_

**:::**

* * *

"Where are the rest of the names?" Professor McGonagall asked angrily after seeing only Neville's name on it.

"There was no one else who finished the tryout," explained Harry dropping into a chair in front of Professor McGonagall's desk and looked grumpily at a shocked Professor McGonagall.

"What - Dennis Creevey," asked Professor McGonagall not believing that Neville is the only one who finished out of her house?

"Got overexcited and jump off his broomstick to catch the Quaffle."

"The McFadden brothers?"

"Sean hit the Upper Goal hoop with his head, knocking himself out, while John got hit with a Bludger after he was about half way out onto the pitch away from his Goal hoops."

"Susan Ferguson?"

"The only thing she could catch was a Bludger and a night in the Hospital Wing."

"Zed what's-his-name?"

"Hit the Upper Goal hoop bounced back over to the center and then broke his broomstick in half on the lower. Even now his broomstick straws are still all over the field."

"Janet Lily?"

"She ran into Ginny my Chaser; hopefully her teeth will grow back in the morning."

"Afreen Buchanan?"

"Don't know how she did it, but she fell off into the upper stands."

"Samuel Gates?"

"Bludger," replied Harry too tired to give long explanations on why they didn't finish.

"**Jane Hathaway!**" Professor McGonagall shouted as she was determined to find someone in her house.

"Fell off."

"**Tamula Majors!**"

"Bludger."

"**Ginny Weasley!**" Professor McGonagall roared as she was obviously throwing out random names.

"She's our starting Chaser, who suffered cuts and bruises trying them out as Keeper."

"**Merlin!**" Professor McGonagall shouted as she slammed the clipboard onto her desk in defeat.

"He didn't tryout and I don't think he ever played Quidditch." Harry joked, giving Professor McGonagall a small smile after his cheek.

"No, but we may wish he had." Professor McGonagall said, returning a smile back at Harry. "Can you work with him? I mean I know it's less than two weeks, but can you win with him?"

"I will work with him every night Professor, but if it was any other house." Harry said, hesitating as he remembered the tough physical, rule breaking matches with the Slytherin Quidditch team. "You know Malfoy and his goons will go after him, and it's definitely going to be physical."

Professor McGonagall turned her head to see the Quidditch Cup sitting on her end table for the last three and a half years. She turned her head back to see Harry also looking at the same Quidditch Cup.

"Work with Mr. Longbottom as much as you need. Tell him he has my full support, but Mr. Potter if by the time of the match you don't feel that Mr. Longbottom can hold up, we will forfeit."

"**Forfeit! To the Slytherin!**" Harry shouted as he jumped out of his chair and looked at Professor McGonagall in shock.

"Yes Mr. Potter, forfeit. I'm not going to risk losing Mr. Longbottom for a silver metal cup, nor you for that matter." Professor McGonagall replied firmly, as she directly ordered her own house Quidditch Captain that he will have to forfeit.

"I rather have my wand broken and forced to live with the Dursleys, than to forfeit to Malfoy and Snape." Harry angrily rowed back at his Head of House.

"My decision is final and it's Professor Snape," replied Professor McGonagall looking directly at the anger in Harry's eyes. "If you are unable to carry out my orders Mr. Potter – I'll find a new Captain."

"Yes Ma'am," Harry responded in defeat after he recognized the unbending resolve of his Head of House.

"Harry, I've grown fonder of you and Mr. Longbottom than this trophy," Professor McGonagall added with a motherly quality that Harry rarely saw. "If we have too… now don't blame yourself it was I after all who agreed for Mr. Weasley to leave us."

"I miss him," Harry remarked as he fell back into his chair and remembered for the last two weeks Ron has been gone. "And it's not your fault he left. I should've told him about Hermione and Draco."

"Harry, we've talked about this, you cannot live regretting every bad decision you made in the past. We have too much in the present to worry about."

"If it was that easy," Harry responded, exhaling air as he felt an even greater load on his shoulders especially without Ron there to help him.

"Now go back to the tower and get a good night sleep, because I'm afraid to say you will have very little of it for the next two weeks."

"Yes ma'am... and thank you," Harry answered warmly to Professor McGonagall for her caring and understanding as he got up to leave.

"Good night, Harry."

"Good night, Professor."

**:::**

* * *

"Has Ron's letter arrived yet?" Dean Thomas asked, as he took an armchair by the fire.

The Gryffindor Commons room was filling up as most of the Gryffindor were waiting to hear Ron's letter.

Apparently, word had spread of Ron's first letter with how funny and amazing it was. Clearly everyone was expecting more of the same.

"Ginny, Harry, is it ok for Luna to come join us. I told her about Ron's letter and she wanted to come hear them too." Neville asked, a little bit modest as he was talking about his new girlfriend.

Hermione sitting on the couch next to Harry responded first, "I'm sorry Neville but other house members are not allowed in the common-"

"Sure Neville," Harry interrupted, ignoring Hermione's lecture on the rules. He gave Hermione a pointed look that the last thing he wanted to hear from her was a bunch of stuffy silly house rules.

"Have her come set beside me," Ginny added, also ignoring Hermione's frown.

"Thanks, Harry, Ginny." Neville happily replied, as he raced to the portrait entrance to let Luna in.

"Harry, I'm Head Girl and I am tired of you always superseding my orders." Hermione whined, as she crossed her arms over her chest in a pout.

"Would if help if I grab your Head badge and throw it out the window, because Luna is our friend." Harry snapped, as he turned his head and gave Hermione a scowl. "You do know what having friends mean, because I'm beginning to wonder if that badge made you forget who they are."

"I know- **fine!**" Hermione pouted as a dreamy looking Luna walked into the Gryffindor Common room and set beside Ginny.

"Hello, Luna," said Ginny giving Luna a big hug.

"Hello, Ginny, Harry, Hermione. Thank you for letting me come in," greeted a happy Luna. As normal, she was wearing her wand behind her ear, a necklace of butterbeer, red radish earrings, and a big magical pink crystal ring on her right hand.

"Hey Luna," Harry greeted her with a friendly smile.

"Where did you get the ring," inquired Ginny excitedly, as she grabbed Luna's hand to look at it.

"Neville, it's a-" Luna answered dreamily with Neville's face turning red in embarrassment.

"It's illegal to wear," Hermione interrupted, ignoring some of the groans and small bickering around her from the other students.

Harry in anger swiftly moved his foot over and stomped on Hermione's foot.

"The dress code doesn't allow a student to wear – **OWW!**"

"You will have to forgive, Hermione, she has a foot-in-mouth problem and sometimes get delirious," Ginny stated, as she smiled at Luna and a relieved Neville.

"Did a Nogtail bite her? I hear they can be quite nasty and they can make you delirious." Luna questioned in a dreamy voice as she looked over at Hermione rubbing her toes in pain, and ignoring Ginny stifling her laughter.

"**I did not** -" Hermione shouted and then stopped speaking when she saw Harry lift his foot over and above her other foot.

"**Hello!** Don't suppose you got room fer me," Hagrid bellowed, as he was bended over in the Portrait's entrance tunnel. His voice just seemed to echo throughout the Common room

"**Hagrid!**" cheered some of the students in recognition.

"Always for you, Hagrid," Harry announced with an even bigger smile on his face as he stood up and forgot about Hermione.

"Thank you, Harry. After seeing them beautiful pictures and hearing Ron's letter from Ginny and you in my house last week; I just couldn't wait fer tomorrow and wanted to be here when it came." Hagrid said, moving through the smiling students and then sitting beside a smiling Hermione.

The couch magically expanded several feet to accommodate Hagrid, but as he set down it lifted Neville, Luna, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione's end of the couch tilting up into the air. It wasn't until Hermione performed a spell on the couch did it level out.

Tap-tap-tap

"It's here," announced a first year boy standing guard at the window.

**:::**

* * *

**A/N:** This was one of those chapters that I loved to write but felt it was under-appreciated. Personally, I can't stand not being appreciated for something. _Otherwise - why even bother._ So appreciate your Dad – Happy Father's Day!


	11. Chapter 11 – Congrats,

**Author's Note: **I know, I know… I need to write a funny Rant. I usually need a night of comedy club or a cool trip to get me back in a good mood to write a funny Rant.** Unfortunately, **the BBQ Championship festival I attended this weekend stole my good mood. Apparently, only the few select official Judges get to taste from the numerous Pitmasters from around the country and not the hungry public that could smell their delicious Hickory or Texas Mesquite smoke a mile away. See this is how it bloody starts! You can't eat the BBQ, you can't practice magic, you can't own a wand because you're a "dangerous" Mudblood. Next thing you know, you got a bunch of kids joy riding a Dragon through the skies and silly Muggle police throwing you out for stealing something good to eat.

I'll try to write something funny next week.

:::

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Congrats, its 6 fire-spitting grandkids**

:::

* * *

**Ginny's POV:**

_Dear Ginny,_

_It's been a full week of adventure and discovery for me. It started by Charlie showing me how to approach and work with a Dragon. This is very important, as you have to draw five liters of Dragon's blood from them once a month. What Charlie didn't teach me is that Dragons are very impatient. Three days ago, I was trying to draw blood from a Dragon's underbelly using a meter long steel needle with an unbreakable spell on it. The problem was it had just rained, turns the whole countryside into mud when it does, and I couldn't get a good stand in the muddy field to push up with the needle through his thick Dragon hide. Charlie told me the older the Dragon the tougher the hide and that Dragon had to been over a hundred. Anyway, the Dragon got bored after my third attempt and commences to walk off for his cave. Fine and dandy by me, but he didn't bother to walk around me. Oh no, that be asking for too much! Apparently, Charlie captured the end-result with my camera. (See Picture #1)_

Ginny pulled out a magical picture of a giant muddy dragon footprint with what appeared to be a red hair bug squished at the bottom of it. Her shock caused an amused Harry to demand to see the picture.

"Ginny, let me see it."

"Please tell me he didn't," groaned a worried Hermione peering over Harry's shoulder.

"He did. HA-HAHA!" Harry humorously informed Hermione and everyone else.

After the laughter died down when the picture had passed to everyone in the Gryffindor's commons room, Ginny continued reading the letter.

_I spent the rest of the morning in the Camp Hospital with a few broken ribs, an earful of mud, and a round of laughter from the staff as Charlie showed them my picture of me being at a bottom of a huge Dragon footprint in the mud. Charlie even refused to give me back my camera, so sure as rain, I got a feeling more of these pictures humiliating myself are to follow. By the way, if Fred and George ever get a hold of these pictures, I'll tell Harry that you—_

"Let's skip that part, I can't read his handwriting." Ginny announced with a very red face to her fellow housemates listening in as she was unable to look at Harry.

"I bet you could," Seamus joked and earned a scowl from Ginny and laughter from everyone else.

_Jane, did I mention her in my last letter? She's…well no other way to describe it, but she's a mini-HER._

"HER?" interrupted Hagrid looking at Harry and Ginny.

"Hermione," replied Harry with everyone looking at a red face and silent Hermione.

"Oh…"

_She cornered me on our bed in the Camp Hospital. Oh, I forgot to mention Ginny, we have our own hospital bed. The headboard is engraved with Weasley across it and the nightstand has a family picture of us during the last World's Cup. Charlie is a regular, the healer tells me. The healer already started to wonder if he should build a Weasley Wing to the Hospital, now that I'm here. The miserable git! (See Picture #2)_

Ginny pulled out a magical picture of a bandaged up and clearly irritated Ron sitting up in a hospital bed that had a wooden headboard engraved with the family name Weasley. She handed it straight off to Harry to pass around like the first one.

_Back to Jane, I hate to admit it, but she has an innocence and fun spirit about her that makes it impossible not to like her. Still, her nagging and constant questions about Hogwarts could just about make you. After being release, I took her to my room and gave her my old birthday gift of __Hogwarts, A History_ _from the bottom of my locker where it has set since I got it._

Hermione frowned, and Harry gave a small chuckle at her expression knowing full well who gave Ron that birthday gift.

_What I didn't notice was Jane also seeing my N.E.W.T. schoolbooks in my locker. Moreover, when I came back from dinner that night, I open my locker to find all of them gone. I haven't decided if it's a blessing or a robbery. Either way, I'm willing to overlook it if it stops all the questions._

_Oh, now the stuff that Hagrid will love to hear. Make sure you sit him down before telling him._

"I'm sitting," replied Hagrid, as if he was talking directly with Ron.

"**Oh my Merlin, Hagrid!**" Ginny shouted, as she read ahead in the letter and then jumped up and down on the couch.

"What is it?" Harry asked, as Ginny dug through the post envelope to pull out a pack of Romanian cigars, pictures, and official looking documents.

_Hagrid – CONGRULATIONS YOU ARE A GRANDFATHER! Norbert mated with a Swedish Short-snout last spring and has given birth to six baby, fire-spitting dragons. (See Pictures #3-9)_

"**Way to go, Hagrid!**" Harry shouted, as he shook a surprised Hagrid's hand.

Ginny immediately handed him the pictures, documents, and cigars.

_I took pictures of each one of them and with a few Sickles from Charlie and me. We bought each one of them a stuff teddy bear from the gift store like the one you gave Norbert when she was born. They, like their mom, promptly ripped the teddy bears to shreds. I even think Norbert remembered me as she sniffed me and allowed me to approach the baby Dragons._

"Will you look at that…**BEAUTIFUL! Every one of them!**" Hagrid bellowed, choking back tears as he looks at his grandkids' pictures.

_I hope Hagrid likes the cigars, I'm not sure if Romania makes good cigars or not. I wanted to smoke one to find out but Jane took them away from me with her wand. Apparently, there is no underage restriction on magic in Romania and Jane is getting pretty good with some of the basic spells from my books. Bugger, I've created a monster!_

_Back to Norbert, this job requires a ton of paperwork, and research. Two things I hate just as much as I hate Malfoy. _

Ginny noticed Hermione cringed a bit.

_Charlie and with the extra help of Jane, she's a natural with research and paperwork, taught me the research and documenting steps that they use for every new born Dragon. I've enclosed a copy of each Dragon's birth certificate and their family tree, or what they call Dragon ancestry. We don't know Norbert's, as you already know, so I cut an old picture I had of Hagrid from my photo scrapbook and magically paste it to Norbert's family tree line. Charlie, who is a Class A license Dragon Handler, signed and certified it to be official_.

"Glory…," Hagrid said, unable to hold the tears back as he saw an official scroll with his big smiling and hairy picture of himself and a line drawn down to Norbert. Then beside Hagrid are pictures of Swedish Short-snouts Dragons, ancestors and parents on the father side. Down below Norbert and his mate, Holsey, are a line that points to six baby Dragons.

"There, there Hagrid," Hermione said, as she patted Hagrid's huge hand to comfort him.

No one minded or thought less of Hagrid as he was crying and several students patted him on the back or hugged him in celebration.

_Once again tell Hagrid, I said congratulations and I promise to send more pictures of his grandchildren. Oh almost forgot, please have him write back to us with the names of his grandkids. I had Charlie hold off naming them and figured the honor should go to Hagrid._

"**Name them!?**" Hagrid shouted, as he jumped up from the couch and almost launched the other students on the opposite side of the couch off it. "Merlin, the post in Hogsmeade closes in an hour. **Excuse me!**"

Hagrid pushed through the students as they shook hands with him and patted him congratulations as he drifted to the exit.

Hagrid before bending down at the Portrait entrance tunnel, turned around, then wiped his face with his animal fur robe, and bellowed. "Thank you, thank you, this is one of the proudest days of my…**50 points to Gryffindor!**"

All of the students clapped and cheered as Hagrid left racing towards the Hogsmeade Post Office. Ginny continued with the letter.

_Oh no, Jane wants to work on a few spells with me that she is having problems with. Jeez, maybe because she only seven and they are N.E.W.T. spells. Merlin! Not that she cares or that would stop her. Have I told you how much she reminds me of HER. Speaking of which, I'm sure I told you not to tell HER and Harry I was up here. __They both sent me letters!__ Ginny you better not have told anyone else other than Hagrid._

"See, I told you he wouldn't mind if you read them to us." Dean quipped and earned a round of laughter as Ginny was starting to feel very guilty and worried.

"Don't stop now," cracked Seamus looking at a red face and timid Ginny." Hey, let's post the pictures on the bulletin board."

Harry handed over the remaining pictures, except the ones Hagrid took, to an excited first year who went running over to the bulletin board to magically stick it on.

"Don't worry, Ginny, I'll tell him I made you do it," whispered Harry to Ginny while giving her a reassuring warm smile.

Ginny returned the smile and hesitantly continued with the letter.

_I'm sending one of the letters back unread and marked, "Return to Sender." The other I might - might have glanced at. Not saying that I read his really long letter of apology, but if Harry sends me another, I might actually read it this time. I'm not promising anything, of course, because Best Mates should look out for one another. Which didn't happen, as I didn't have the "emotional maturity" to handle reading the entire long letter. What a bunch of stupid dung. She can stick that maturity straight up her Head…_

"I think we can skip that part." Ginny finished to the understanding and relief of Hermione.

Ginny pulled out a thick letter with Hermione's clean and smooth handwriting on it, and slowly handed it over to a depressed Hermione.

"Well at least he's calling me Harry instead of HIM." Harry remarked, looking over Ginny's shoulder at Ron's letter.

"**That's my prat of a brother! The Dragon didn't step on him hard enough to stomp some sense into him!**" Ginny roared, earning a round of laughter and a small smile from Hermione. "**Dragon toe jam is more sensitive than him!**"

Ginny finished reading the letter.

_Charlie said hey again and promised more humiliating pictures for you. __**The Git! I have too many git brothers!**__ As for me, I miss you terrible Ginny and each passing day makes it worse._

"You were saying?" Harry questioned, as he looked at a smiling Ginny who secretly cares very deeply for her brother.

"He has lapses of being okay… every now and then." Ginny alleged, in an almost atypical voice.

_Love from your brother,_

_-Ron_

_PS: Tell Harry, I'll be more willing to read his letters if he sends Chocolate Frogs with them._

_PPS: They don't sell any up here, can you believe it!_

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

"Great, I have to bribe my Best Mate to read my letters." Harry stated, while rolling his eyes then looking at a smiling Ginny.

Ginny with her auburn hair gracefully touching her shoulders was still reading over the part in Ron's letter where he wrote that he missed her terrible. This gave Ginny a huge loving smile that made Harry swoon over her in response.

On sheer impulse, he got the nerve to ask. "Ginny… uh would you like to go with me. I mean… tomorrow is a Hogsmeade visit and would you like to go with me… to pick up Chocolate Frogs for Ron."

Harry looked nervously at Ginny who was a little bit shocked and speechless until Luna elbowed her in the ribs.

"Sure, Harry… ah, I mean… are you asking me out for a date?" Ginny asked, trying to keep the redness out of her face and the tone of her voice even.

"**Sure!** I mean… if you want to, and I understand if you don't. So it doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be." Harry rambled on, as he was unsure of Ginny's reaction or decision.

"**No!** A date would be fine. Yes, Harry, I would love… er… like to go on a date with you."

"Great," replied Harry as he smiled at Ginny in relief for her saying yes.

"Harry, Ginny this is great, **we can double date!**" Hermione eagerly rejoiced, excited for them and yet seeing a chance to get them to bond with Draco.

Ginny's smile immediately dropped into a frown before Harry could answer, "Unfortunately as much as I would love to see Draco with you, we can't stay-"

"We have Quidditch practice," added Ginny seeing where Harry was going with it.

"Yeah, Quidditch practice," remarked Harry looking at Hermione and then turning his head to give a quick smile to Ginny.

"Oh… well… that's ok," replied Hermione holding back a frown as she knew that they were lying to her. "But maybe we can bump into one another?"

"I doubt it," Harry swiftly retorted trying to give Hermione a serious face and look.

"Highly doubt it," agreed Ginny.

"Oh well, maybe another time. I'll see you guys' later." Hermione remarked, as Harry figured she already had a plan to meet with them with Draco in tow.

"Good night, Hermione," said Harry as he watched Hermione leave via the Portrait exit for her own Head suite.

"I'm going to have to schedule another Quidditch practice." Harry informed a sympathetic Ginny after Hermione had left.

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione exited the Fat Lady Portrait with the memories of Ron's letter in her mind. She looked down at her own letter to see at the top of it in Ron's sloppy handwriting with "Return to Sender," but what brought a really big smile to her face was in the center of the letter there was Ron's owl postal address in Ginny's handwriting.

_**Ronald Weasley**_

_**Romanian Dragon Preserve**_

_**Maramures County, Romania**_

"_I'll just write Ron directly and include Chocolate Frogs this time_," Hermione thought as she raced to her suite to write another letter to Ron. Knowing he wouldn't be able to resist candy and be forced to open it and hopefully read her letter.

:::

* * *

**A/N**: _Please review… except the BBQ judges. I already heard from you._


	12. Chapter 12 - Confessions

_**A/N**__: "_This is one of those chapters you hate writing, but you have to in order to tell a story_." I said that over seven years ago and I still mean it today. "_The only saving advice I can offer to you is that we are only two chapters away from my turning point of the story._" Yeah, I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now because it still doesn't help. "_Plus, I suggest that you should try to focus on the developing relationship of Ginny and Harry, and definitely not the Hermione and Draco one._" _

_This is my least favorite chapter I ever written – ever. _

"I'm trying to keep a PG-13 and less rating on this story, but I'm finding it a bit difficult. I'll try my best." _That's because if I ever wrote an X-rated Hermione Draco chapter then I would have to stab my eyes out with a dull pencil._

:::

* * *

**Chapter 12 – Confessions**

**Harry's POV:**

"Will just stay fifteen minutes for two butterbeers, then we can hang out at Zonks or the Quidditch shop." Harry whispered, looking nervously around for Hermione and Draco.

"I feel like we are trying to dodge Dementors," cracked Ginny as she took a seat beside Harry in a booth at the back of a crowded Three Broomsticks.

"Me too, but I'm glad I'm dodging them with you," remarked Harry as he looked at the cute smile of his date.

"_Date… D.A.T.E._" Harry happily spelled out in thought on how good that sounded when he said it in his mind.

"I bet you say that to all your girlfriends." Ginny countered while watching a smiling Harry, before they got interrupted by Hermione rushing over to their table with a slow and standoffish Draco Malfoy following her.

"Hello Harry, Ginny - **what a surprise!**" Hermione shouted, ignoring Harry's groan and Ginny's annoyed growl. "Draco and I just came in-"

"**No, we haven't!** We've been hiding here for over two hours," Draco snapped, looking up at the ceiling as he clearly did not want to be there to see Harry and Ginny.

"It just seems two hours," Hermione remarked coldly to an impatient Draco.

Harry watched as she swiftly set down across from them dragging Draco down with her. "Can we join you?"

"You already have," answered Ginny, as she continued to scowl at the both of them.

"_Potter, Weasley_." Draco said in a cold and arrogant voice.

"_Malfoy, Granger_." Harry responded, in the exact same arrogant voice to mock Draco.

Draco showed no outwardly effect at Harry's jibe and instead started the table's conversation.

"So, I heard Longbottom is your new Keeper. I'll be amazed to see if that loaf can stay on a broomstick after the match starts." Draco arrogantly commented to Harry and Ginny as he looked directly at them for the first time.

"Neville is coming along right nicely; He's almost as good as Ron is." Harry countered, coming to the immediate defense of his fellow teammate and friend.

"Ha, that's not saying much at all. He wasn't that good of a Keeper to begin with," Draco snapped, as he gave Harry a huge sneer that made Harry want to knock it off his face.

"Oh really, the way I remember it last year… Ron only let in a one single goal and we humiliated you 220-10. So bad, in fact, that Professor Snape gave the entire Slytherin Quidditch team a week of detention." Ginny boasted, in defense of her brother. "Isn't that right, Draco?"

Draco wasn't able to hold back his anger on that jibe, until Hermione laid her hand on top of his to settle him down.

"Let's talk about something other than Quidditch. I mean really, all it does is divide the houses and cause animosity between fellow students." Hermione diplomatically said, trying to steer the conversation toward friendlier grounds. "We were just thinking about nominating both of you to the Valentine's Day dance committee-"

"I like to talk about something," Harry said, jumping into the conversation.

"About the dance?" Hermione rather hoped.

"No," answered Harry as he looked directly at the sneering arrogant face of Draco.

"Go ahead Harry, just not about Quidditch… please," Hermione begged, as she no doubt noticed a flash of anger in Harry's eyes.

"I like to know how you two met. I mean… what did you say to win her over?" Harry probed, wanting to know this answer for a long time.

Hermione seemed thrilled at Harry's question and her face started turned pink while looking over at Draco still sulking before answering. "It was the most romantic-"

"Tell us about it, Draco," Harry interrupted, wanting to hear Draco's version of it.

Hermione looked a bit put off but she leaned over to Draco and gave him a pleading look for him to answer. Draco rather reluctantly answered Harry's loaded question.

"Not much to tell, Potter." Draco remarked, not wanting to tell Harry anything useful.

"Oh Draco, you can tell them," Hermione begged, as she wrapped her arm around his and pushed him into talking more about it.

Draco looked a bit put out with Hermione finally answered Harry's question.

"Very well. I stayed after a Prefect meeting with her and apologized for my years of bad behavior, and my father's deplorable actions. Then afterwards, I told her during our first study session that she was the most beautiful and intelligent woman I had ever seen, and then I kissed her to prove it." Draco offered, giving a small fake smile to a swooning Hermione.

The whole narrative made Harry want to throw up.

"**That's it?!**" asked Ginny in amazement.

"Oh no, it was slow at first, but then he started helping me with my S.P.E.W. meetings, the Head duties, and even working with me on homework assignments in the library." Hermione added to Draco's defense on why she fell in love with him. "Draco is really a caring person once you get to know him. That's why we been together ever since."

Harry definitely wanted to throw up after hearing Hermione.

"Not to forget the empty classrooms song-fest you two shared. Wow, Draco you must be one heck of a kisser," Ginny alleged, ignoring Harry's look of disgust and Draco's even bigger arrogant smile.

"To sell that line of dung."

Draco immediately dropped his smile and showed off an evil scowl toward Ginny. "Watch your mouth, Weasel."

"Draco, they are my friends so please be nice" Hermione pleaded with Draco for civility as Harry interrupted her.

"Yeah, Draco, you wouldn't want to get expelled." Harry taunted, giving a huge smirk of his own toward a shocked and angry Draco.

"I don't know… I bet he would look cute wearing an apron and washing dishes. You know what they say about manual jobs being the most rewarding." Ginny adlibbed, as she quoted Professor Dumbledore with that dry British humor voice of hers.

"Please, let's all try to get along," Hermione pleaded again to everyone but was completely ignored by everyone else at the table.

Harry continued on, "Actually, the caring Draco would probably like to be a Garbage Collector. He could be working right alongside his Dad."

Harry watched Draco angrily stand up and pull out his wand. Harry had to reach out and hold Ginny's arm underneath the table from pulling out her wand in his defense.

"**How dare you, Potter!**" An incensed Draco growled, gaining everyone's attention in the bar.

"**Draco, no!**" Hermione boomed, reaching out to hold down his red sparking wand.

Harry merely smirked at a murderous looking Draco. "Go ahead, Draco. **Free shot! ** Well… not free I suppose for attacking a defenseless fellow student in a crowded pub of witnesses. How much Galleons is in that trust fund of yours, anyway?"

Harry made a mental note to thank Hagrid for telling Ginny and himself what went on in the last staff meeting.

Draco froze to the spot and Harry watched as Draco's eyes started to dart all around the pub at all the people watching him. After a long drawn out moment, Draco retorted in an arrogant voice. "More than you or anyone else here will ever see." Reluctantly Draco pulled down his wand before snapping, "I'll deal with you two during the Quidditch match."

"Let's go," ordered Draco as he grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her out of the booth with him.

"Draco, can we-" whined Hermione unable to pull away as he dragged her outside of the pub.

Ginny watched the bar activity return to normal before telling Harry. "He doesn't love her."

"Yeah, I saw that. He's using her for something."

"It can't be for helping with spew, or getting the dress code rules changed, or even helping her with homework… like she needs any help." Ginny deduced while looked at Harry for an answer.

Harry could tell that Ginny was feeling afraid for Hermione's well-being.

"No, that's probably a side benefit. Either he wants Hermione to betray me, the Order, or both." Harry guessed that it would have to be something big for Draco to date Hermione.

"Harry, what are we going to do?" Ginny worriedly asked.

"I don't know, but I know this. All of it could've been prevented if Ron had truly told her how he felt about her." Harry answered.

"**Prat!** I swear he's the most clueless boy in the world when it comes to emotions." Ginny declared and started shaking her head in disbelief.

"Maybe, but until now I was a close second." Harry reflected, then grabbed Ginny's hand and looked right into her brown eyes. "Ginny, I miss Ron, but I'm not too upset at him for not being here."

Harry steeled himself for what he was going to bravely say next. "Because, these last few weeks I've been spending my time with you, I wouldn't even trade that for Malfoy's trust fund."

"How about Draco's expulsion?" Ginny quipped, barely able to control her breathing as she looked longingly at Harry.

"Tempting, but I still rather have you," Harry modestly replied, before he was jump upon by Ginny kissing him.

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione was waiting impatiently for Draco to return from his Quidditch practice. For the last two weeks, she barely had more than a small kiss on the lips as Draco rushed off to Quidditch practice or the Slytherin common room.

Tonight, before tomorrow's big Quidditch match, she was hoping to spend a few romantic hours with him like they had when they first started dating. The flooding of those randy memories in the empty classrooms caused a lusty surge of hormones running through her body. Draco had no idea how close he was to being Hermione's first. She was amazed she held out this long. Draco had persistently tried, several times in fact, but she never felt completely comfortable about doing it. Draco would always beg with his cobalt blue eyes and then plead with her that the time was right. She had to tell him and herself no, not yet… but soon.

Hermione wondered if tonight might be the night she felt comfortable at having sex with him.

Draco had finally entered their shared Head common room with his usual swagger.

"Hello Sweets," Draco announced, calling her by his pet nickname for her.

Draco approached a smiling and swooning Hermione then pulled her toward him to firmly kiss Hermione on the lips while thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth.

After a few heavy minutes of kissing, he pulled away from a breathless Hermione.

"You're going to the match tomorrow, right?" inquired a proud looking Draco.

"Yes, of course." Hermione answered, after she regained her breath.

"Good, then you can wear my scarf as you cheer me on." Draco ordered, removing his Slytherin scarf around his neck and putting it around her neck.

"You want me to wear your house scarf, but I'll be sitting with Gryffindor." Hermione hesitated, not wanting to think of her fellow housemates' reaction of her wearing Slytherin colors in the Gryffindor House stands at a Slytherin-Gryffindor match.

"What, you're not going to support me – your boyfriend?!" Draco barked, as he tried to pull the scarf back off Hermione's neck and she refused to let him have it back.

"No… I mean, I'm going to support you, why wouldn't I?" Hermione professed, holding tightly onto the green scarf.

Draco's expression relaxed and he warmly answered. "Good, I want to see my girlfriend in the stands supporting me. It will give me the confidence I need to win."

Draco leaned over and started to kiss a relieved Hermione again.

Hermione could feel her head spinning as they kissed and when they had paused for air she softly offered, "Do you want to go to my room?"

Draco slowly reached out for her hand.

"I can't," Draco remarked arrogantly, as he leaned back from Hermione. "It's the night before the match."

"Please Draco," Hermione shamelessly begged.

"Not tonight, but I promise right after the match." Draco replied softly, as he reached over to stroke Hermione's cheek and then walked away from her toward his room.

"Don't forget to support me tomorrow."

"I won't forget," Hermione replied meekly, holding on to his scarf and wishing that he would stay with her.

:::

* * *

**A/N: ** I hate this chapter.


	13. Chapter 13 - Cow in the stands

**Author's Rant:** It's funny how much of the Harry Potter universe can be applied to real muggle life. Take wand lore for instance. As Garrick Ollivander of Ollivander's Wand Shop would attest to many a young Hogwarts student that, "the wand chooses the wizard." Now apply that same philosophy to muggle Cooking classes.

Confused? Ok, let's say a rich snobby man… oh let's call him Lucius Malfoy, was to request from the Master Chef in my cooking class – "the best kitchen knife that money can buy." Her honest Ollivander answer was "_I can't tell you which knife is the best, it depends on the person._" By that, she meant what might be the best knife for one person will not be the best knife for another. I even tested her sound Ollivander's wisdom myself. While I initial thought, the wide-handle Henkel and Wusthof knives were going to be my favorite I quickly learned after using them that I could never get into a rhythm of chopping vegetables. Those wands were not for me. After a few trial and errors, I found a kitchen knife that wasn't the best looking one I seen but was extremely well balanced, super sharp, and stronger metal than any of the rest. My wand of choice is a Global 8" chef's knife. I proudly learned that the company is renowned for using the same methods of manufacturing Samurai swords. Moreover, like Harry Potter when he first held his 11" long wand made of Holly and a Phoenix feather core, the knife had chosen me. Instantly, I had become a chopping and dicing wizard. Celery, carrots, potatoes, onions, oranges, tomatoes were swiftly cut in uniformed precision. I had rhythm, I had magic, and I knew - I had finally found my wand.

:::

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Cow in the stands**

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

Harry was nervous, not for himself, he long since passed being nervous before a Quidditch match. No, he was nervous for Neville. Neville, just in the last few days, had made huge improvements at being Keeper. Not that he was as good as Ron was. Ron always had a certain Wizards chess flair as Keeper; He would out-think his opponent and counter for the block before they ever made their move to score. Neville, on the other hand, played more of a straight up and fearless game as Keeper against the opposing Chasers. Which was more than fine for any other house, but with the Slytherin – sneaky and underhanded was the order of the day.

"Harry," whispered a soft and familiar voice in Harry's ear.

The soft voice Harry heard created a sensation throughout his body and the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. He didn't even attempt to look for the voice; he knew who it was and why she so easily got his attention.

Harry nodded then mildly made an announcement to the Gryffindor Common Room, "I'm going to go upstairs and write a letter to Ron. Goodnight everyone."

"Okay, Harry, goodnight." Neville replied, sitting on a couch nearby as he was going over the Quidditch team play handbook.

Harry swiftly rushed up to his seventh year boys' room and then scanned around his bedroom to make sure none of his other roommates was up there with him.

"It's okay, we're alone."

"Whew, it gets hot under this," remarked Ginny taking off Harry's invisibility cloak beside him.

"So what did you find out?" Harry asked, as he wanted to get to the heart-of-the-matter.

"Harry, I… I don't feel comfortable about this. There has always been an unwritten rule between the Quidditch teams not to spy on one another." Ginny stated, moving across the room and falling down on Harry's bed, laying the cloak beside her.

"I know, but don't worry about it. You're not the first. Ron did it all the time," Harry explained, moving over to sit on his bed beside Ginny.

"He did?"

"Yeah, he likes to study the Chasers: their favorite moves, strategy, plays, skill-"

"**The cheat! ** No wonder… say how did Theodore Notts score on him last year? He was the only one that did."

"Hermione got up and went to the girl's loo when Notts was making his scoring run."

"Figures." Ginny remarked back to him as she rolled her eyes.

"So what did you see?" Harry asked impatiently.

"You're right, they been practicing hitting Bludgers at the Keeper, and Draco has been practicing knocking and bumping maneuvers on the practice squad Seeker. Obviously, he wants to delay you from getting the Snitch."

"He's going to try to beat us by injuring Neville, delay me from getting the Snitch, and then run up the score on us." Harry rationalized out loud, as he figured out Draco's strategy for tomorrow's game.

"There's more, he was bragging to Crabbe and Goyle that he had a secret plan to throw you off your game. Something about a cow in the stands." Ginny offered, but wasn't able to decipher Draco's bragging.

"What?"

"I don't know… that's what he said."

Harry seemed lost with the idea of there being a cow in the stands. _Why would anyone want to put a farm animal in the stands? It must be something else. I wonder if I should forfeit? _Harry thought to himself.

"Ginny, I have a confession to make to you." Harry remarked, finally lying down beside Ginny on his bed.

"It better not involve wanting to have a three-some in your bed." Ginny cracked, giving her infamous Weasley grin as she was lying beside a wide-eye looking Harry.

"**What!?**"

"You heard me, now what is it," snapped Ginny.

"You have a dirty mind, Weasley, now be serious." Harry jested, returning her cheek with a fake self-righteous attitude.

"Okay, I was thinking about all the things we could do on your bed, but I'll completely erase all that from my dirty mind and be serious." Ginny countered back.

Harry's face flashed a bit of disappointment before turning serious.

"Quidditch, first. Professor McGonagall ordered me to forfeit if I thought Neville couldn't hold up tomorrow."

"**What?! Harry - no! You can't forfeit to them!**" Ginny roared in the same tone that Harry used with Professor McGonagall.

"No choice and I agree with her, I didn't in her office… but I do now. The Quidditch Cup is not worth getting Neville… or you for that matter from getting seriously hurt. I won't risk it, you both mean too much to me." Harry expounded, while he grabbed and held Ginny's hand.

"Harry, I can take care of myself, I'm not eleven."

"I noticed… you filled out rather nicely," remarked Harry gazing down Ginny's 16-year-old body and enjoying the curves.

Ginny punched Harry in the side before saying, "Now who has a dirty mind?"

"**Oofh!**" Harry moaned.

"Harry, you can't - it would just break Neville in half. He believes in you… and this would destroy his confidence if you forfeit. I know it will be tough for him, but he would still rather go down fighting with you than to quit. I bet if you asked him, he wouldn't mind in the least. He's like Ron, he would follow you through the veil if you went first."

"Gin, please don't ever mention the veil," Harry begged, remembering Sirius falling through it.

"I'm sorry, Harry. But please don't forfeit." Ginny begged even more, laying her hand on Harry's face.

Harry said nothing as he considered his options before answering.

"Okay, but after tomorrow – I won't be Captain." Harry assumed, knowing Professor McGonagall's reaction and anger.

"You will still be Neville's friend and more importantly my boyfriend." Ginny confirmed to him by moving forward to kiss a surprised Harry.

:::

* * *

Harry swore to himself that he should have never agreed to play the Slytherin.

_Blast those pink velvet lips of hers._ Harry angrily thought before he glanced back at Draco trailing him.

He knew that from just looking at the growing smirk on Draco Malfoy's ferret face. Harry had already lost Colin Creevey, a Chaser, and Jack McDonald, a Beater, to the Hospital Wing. Not to mention, Ginny had a huge swollen bruise on her face and mouth. Dean Thomas his only other Chaser was playing with broken ribs, and Harry was certain his own left arm was broken. The reason why his team was in utter shambles was because of all the Bludgers shot at them and the Slytherin's illegal blocking and rule-breaking. This was without a doubt the dirtiest game he had ever played in over seven years against the Slytherin. The Slytherin team had made over 21 penalties, breaking a hundred year old Hogwarts record. To make matters worse, In-spite of all the penalties, Slytherin was up a staggering 220 to 40 as they were able to score at will. Harry doubted if Neville could even see the Quaffle much less stop it any more.

As without a doubt, the worst player hurt overall, hands down, was none other than poor Neville as Keeper. Harry couldn't believe he was still on his broomstick. Neville's face and body had been hammered with Bludgers from Crabbe and Goyle for the entire match. It was a true testament to his Gryffindor bravery to continue to stay on his broomstick. Even more miraculously, he had even managed to stop a few goals early on in the match without falling off after getting pelted by some many Bludgers.

To add more suffering into the mix was the fact that every time Harry got close enough to stop the game by seizing the Snitch, Draco would knock him, grab his broomstick, or slap his glasses off his face. Draco clearly wanted this game to go on all night; He didn't even bother to search for the Golden Snitch by himself. Harry tried to use the Plotsky move several times on Draco, but it didn't work as Draco stayed far enough back to delay Harry if he even got close enough to the Snitch. Harry had finally concluded that he had to change his tactics by taking out Draco if he wanted to save his friends and teammates. Not that he didn't notice the irony that his _best friend_, Hermione, was in the Gryffindor stands wearing Slytherin colors in support of Draco. This was what really made him angry throughout the entire match at Hermione's duplicity and disloyalty to the Gryffindor house and him personally.

Harry took his anger off Hermione long enough to see a glint of gold by the Slytherin Upper Goalpost and made a Split-S turn for it. Draco was hot on his trail. This time however Harry braked in the air to almost a standing position and swung his right elbow out with all the energy and anger he could muster to the oncoming ferret face of Draco Malfoy.

"**Crack****."**

Harry could hear and feel Draco's jaw breaking as he violently slammed his right elbow into Draco's mouth. The crowd gasped, whistled, yelled, and cheered at him for doing it. Their loud chattered noise was followed by the shrill ringing noise of Madam Hooch's whistle and her booming voice.

"**Penalty to Gryffindor!**"

Not that it matter to Harry, he took overwhelming pleasure watching Draco, with the help of Madam Hooch, slowly fly down to the ground and be stretchered off to the Hospital Wing. He also scowled as a concerned Hermione went running out onto the field to join Draco being stretchered off.

Five minutes later, Harry was finally able to end the game by catching the Snitch for a painful loss of 240 to 190, Slytherin. Harry didn't care much about the score or the loss, instead he flew with all the speed he could muster to a battered Neville. Neville was barely hovering at the Goalposts and Harry had to help him land and be stretchered to the Hospital Wing along with the rest of his battered Gryffindor team.

:::

* * *

"Mr. Longbottom, I must say – I've never witnessed a braver act as Keeper in the entire time that I've been teaching here at Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall boasted, as she was trying to comfort Neville in his hospital bed with a weeping Luna standing beside him.

"Tha… nk… you… Ma… am." Neville barely replied back, as he was hardly able to speak as his face and body were covered in magical bandages.

"Gin, you okay?" Harry inquired, as he walked over to Ginny's hospital bed after Madam Pomfrey healed his broken left arm and his bruise right elbow.

"Go away Harry… I look horrible." Ginny moaned in her bed as the swelling from the bumps on her face hadn't gone down yet.

"Ginny, you're still the most beautiful girl I have ever seen." Harry proudly declared, and then he bent down to give Ginny a soft kiss on her lips.

"Oww**.**"

"Sorry, couldn't help myself." Harry apologized, after he regretted causing Ginny more pain and had to pull back from the kiss.

"Thank you. I'm still glad we played. I only wish we had beaten them." Ginny declared, as she was unable to make a smile due to her face swelling while she looked up at Harry.

"I'm not, it wasn't worth it."

"Well at least we now know who the _Cow_ is." Ginny responded.

Harry turned his head to look over at Hermione across the room fussing over a sneering Draco in his bed.

"It won't be long before he dumps her." Harry added wishing he could break Draco's jaw yet again.

"She will take it rather hard when she learns the truth, and she doesn't have any friends left… well only us." Ginny answered, no doubt thinking about Hermione's reaction and well-being.

Harry still feeling a bit sore at Hermione for supporting Draco and the Slytherin turned his head back to look down at Ginny. "She did this to herself; I think it will be better if we don't help her - at least not right away."

"We need to at least comfort her," Ginny implored, as she wanted to help Hermione.

"Aren't you the one who knocked her on her butt in the Great Hall," inquired Harry as he smiled and joked about Ginny's temper.

"I only gave her what she needed. Besides she's your best friend and she's the closest thing I have to a sister."

Harry could feel his heart and head struggling on what Ginny had just said. "Okay, but there's nothing we can do until the ferret dumps her. As for the cure, that's Ron's problem; that's if he still likes her when he gets back."

"My prat of a brother can deny it, fight it, ignore it, or even try to run away from it, but Hermione is his one true love and soulmate."

"Who's yours?"

"I'm still working on it," commented Ginny as she was running her hand in Harry's hair.

"Mr. Potter, I would like to see you in my office, **seven o'clock sharp!**" Professor McGonagall growled from across the room before she left the Hospital Wing after visiting with each of the house Quidditch team players.

"You might want to work faster," suggested Harry.


	14. Chapter 14 - Ron's night out

:::

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm back! I've been keeping a low profile, especially this last weekend. Anyway, I just want to say to everyone that has left a review, good or bad, thank you very much.

:::

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Ron's night out**

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione was a little bit nervous with guilt at leaving Draco in the Hospital Wing to attend Ron's weekly letter reading. Not that Draco was going to catch her as he was still trying to grow a few of his missing front teeth back.

It's was becoming as if every Friday night became an irresistible magnetic force to her to go to the Gryffindor Common room and listen to Ginny read Ron's letter. She knew Draco would be extremely angry and jealous if he ever found out. Worse than before, Draco had been mumbling continuously with nasty comments toward Harry since he was stretchered into the Hospital Wing. Getting Harry and Draco to tolerate one another would be harder than she had anticipated, but she hoped that she would be able to pull it off by the time of Ron's return. Only by then could she concentrate on pacifying Ron to get over her and accept Draco as her boyfriend.

"Devil's Snare," Hermione said, as she stood outside the Fat Lady portrait hoping to find Harry and the rest of Gryffindor in a reasonable good mood since losing yesterday to the Slytherin house.

"Denied," replied the Fat Lady in a curt tone as she narrowed her eyes at a stunned Hermione.

"**Devil's Snare!** That's the password," Hermione swiftly retorted, not believing that she be denied entrance into the Gryffindor Common room.

"Denied, perhaps you should go to the Slytherin Dungeons instead." The Fat Lady remarked defiantly, as she was not letting Hermione inside.

"You listen here, **I'm the Head Girl and I demand to be let in!**" Hermione, not enjoying in the least her suggestion, shouted back at her.

"What is with all the yelling in the hallways, Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall calmly asked, interrupting Hermione's row. Hermione looked to her right to see Professor McGonagall gliding over to them with a disapproving stern look on her face.

"She… I can't get in Professor." Hermione bellowed in disbelief, and then speedily regained her composure in front of her favorite Professor to explain what was happening.

"Really – I can't imagine why?" Professor McGonagall quipped sarcastically.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall, so happy to see you again." The Fat Lady pleasantly remarked with a smile and curtsey at Professor McGonagall in her portrait before swinging open.

"Thank you, Milady. Stay here, Miss Granger, I'll ask if anyone wants to invite you in." Professor McGonagall commanded, and then entered with the portrait closing swiftly behind her before Hermione could even respond.

She could not believe what just happen and then she heard the unmistakable roar of "**No!**" from behind the Gryffindor Common room.

"You should close your mouth miss Head Girl, you look like a goldfish." The Fat Lady giddily remarked, in a mischievous voice as she was looking down at a shock Hermione.

Suddenly, the Fat Lady Portrait cracked open to reveal a tight mouth Harry who was looking at her with a face of sadness.

"Harry, thank Merlin – **this… this…** **she won't let me in!**" Hermione indignantly roared as she tried to run over to Harry with the portrait door closing behind him.

"I know, we need to talk," remarked Harry blocking the entrance and looking awkwardly at her.

"Can't we wait until after Ron's letter?" Hermione pleaded, hoping that all this silliness had not made her miss any of the reading.

**:::**

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

"No, we need to talk and they haven't started yet. Listen, from now on… it would be better if you set and spend time with Draco, than us." Harry said, hesitating to tell Hermione about Ginny and his new secret plan to speed up the process of her getting dump by Draco.

"But why can't I sit with you… and Ginny?" A hurt Hermione asked.

"No one wants you to sit at our table, or come into our Common room." Harry explained without a reason as to why. Of course, he knew the reason why and how they really wanted to do a lot worse to her, but he ordered them not to harm her.

"**I'm a Gryffindor!**" Hermione thundered. "Where else am I supposed to sit or go?"

"The Slytherin table," snapped Harry. "Ginny and I can let you come in for the reading of Ron's letters, but that's all."

"**This is not right, Harry!**" Hermione bawled at Harry no doubt feeling betrayed by her housemates and friends just because she supported Draco and his goons at the Quidditch match.

"Sorry, Hermione, but you sort of did this to yourself." Harry plainly stated to a hurt Hermione. He slowly turned to face the Fat Lady portrait and gave the new password. "Air Head."

Harry opened the portrait for her and then told her, "You will have to be quiet and sit in the back as it's a full house."

Harry watched, as Hermione bit her lips and said nothing, but could easily tell she was fuming in anger as she took a lonely seat on the male dormitory spiral staircase behind a full standing room of Gryffindor students.

Harry then made his way through the crowd to the couch in the front next to the fireplace that set Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Ginny, Neville, and Luna.

After Harry set down between Ginny and Hagrid, a smiling Ginny declared, "**Good, now we can begin!**"

:::

* * *

**Ginny's POV:**

_Dear Ginny,_

_Let me start this letter off by saying, __**Thank MERLIN for Professor McGonagall**_!

"What?" Professor McGonagall surprisingly asked, as she was sitting on the couch next to Ginny and Luna expecting to hear stories about Dragons.

"It's what he wrote, I don't know why… let me read on Professor to find out," explained an apologetic Ginny.

Ginny was feeling a little bit nervous under the stare of her head of house Professor McGonagall before she continued with the letter.

_You will know why I said that by the end of this letter, but first a dragon update. Hagrid will be pleased to know that his grandkids are doing fine. I was surprised and a bit honored to learn what he named his six grandkids._

"What did you name them, Hagrid?" Harry inquired, while everyone was looking and listening at them to find out.

"Well, I didn' have much time to put a lot of thought into it. I just got to the Hogsmeade Post befer it closed. Yew see, there's three girl dragons and three boy dragons and all I had were them beautiful pictures. So, I named them with the first thing that pop in me head."

"What was that Hagrid?" Ginny requested, as she was curious to know why Ron would be honored.

"After yew six – of course! Harry, Ron, and Neville for the boys, and Hermione, Ginny, and Luna for the girls."

Ginny immediately notice a big smile spread across Hermione's face who was sitting in the back.

"Thank you, Hagrid," Harry replied, giving him a big smile as well.

"Ah, it was nothing. Yew like my own grandkids anyway… ones that shouldn't go into the Forbidden Forest as much as yew do, but like grandkids just the same." Hagrid bellowed with a huge grin on his face.

Ginny and Luna both got up and hugged Hagrid as Harry was chuckling about the number of times he has been in the forest.

"Continue on, Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall encouraged, while reaching over to warmly pat Hagrid on the arm.

"Yes ma'am."

_You got to hand it to Hagrid; he has a gift at naming Dragons. He got all of our names to match the Dragon that acts just like us. Ron and Hermione are always spitting fireballs at one another. Neville is a little bit clumsy and brave as he tries to learn how to walk without dragging his wings. Luna is quiet and always curious, as she just likes to watch people. Harry is definitely the leader of this miscreant lot, and as for Ginny. Ginny took off with one of my Dragon gloves and I had to chase her a full five minutes through the mud to get it back. (See Picture #1)_

"You go girl," cracked Ginny as she was smiling at her namesake and listening to the room roar with laughter.

"Just like you," remarked Harry as he was looking at the picture of Ron splashing through the mud chasing a small greenish and blue Dragon with a glove in her mouth.

_After work, I usually find myself helping Jane, who I know I said is just like HER._

"Who's HER?" Professor McGonagall inquired.

"Hermione," replied most of the students in unison.

"Oh…"

_Well she's worse! I cannot believe a seven-year-old girl wants nothing more to do than practice NEWT Transfiguration spells. I am not exactly the best at Transfiguration and I told her so, hoping she would like to do Defense against the Dark Arts or Charms. Foolish me, she told me all the more reason to practice Transfiguration._

"I'm beginning to like this girl," Professor McGonagall boasted, as she smiled and looked around at the other students.

"Get her picture off the Bulletin Board," Harry ordered, so Professor McGonagall could see her face.

A 2nd year girl eagerly grabbed the picture and then handed it off to her Head of House, Professor McGonagall.

"My, she is cute… seven you say?" Professor McGonagall proudly inquired, as she was looking at a wizard's picture of Jane smiling while holding her stuff magical dragon, Danny. "And I have to say to the rest of you, she has the right attitude toward Transfiguration!"

The room softly moaned in unison as Professor McGonagall tried to hold back a smile and keep her serious and proper Professor demeanor about her.

Ginny hurried back to the letter before an impromptu Transfiguration class broke out.

_What I really like to practice is my sleep, but instead, Charlie came over and rescued me from Jane. He wanted me to go with him and some of his friends to a bar in Budapest. I agreed in-spite of Jane's nagging that I should stay away from bars. Merlin, she is so much like HER. Aaaggh!_

_Harry, I know you are reading this as you pretty much told me in your last letter. By the way, Harry thanks for the Chocolate Frogs. I haven't forgiven you, mind you, but I don't think I could have lasted another week without them._

Ginny looked over at a smiling Harry rolling his eyes at Ron's denial that he hadn't forgiven him yet. If she knew her brother, and she did, he hold that over Harry's head to keep getting Chocolate Frogs.

_Anyway back to the bar story with Charlie and his so called friends. Charlie gave me his old green dragon-hide jacket to wear and then went digging through my locker for a pair of my Extendable Ears from Fred and George. Speaking of, I got to buy a wizard's lock - everyone just keeps helping themselves to my locker. Anyway, I should've known something was up, but I didn't know for certain until we Apparate outside of the bar on a street that makes Knockturn Alley look as clean and orderly as Gringotts Bank. Merlin – what a dodgy dive! As for Charlie's friends, two of them work at the Preserve with us, and the other two are dress in semi-formal wizard government issued dress robes. One look at them and you could tell they work for the Romania Ministry of Magic. I didn't find out until later that they were actually Aurors. About that time, Charlie comes over to me, and tells me not to do anything unless he gives me the signal. _

_You guess it Harry; it's the same standard operating procedures of the Order, __treat us like kids and tell us nothing_.

"Miss Weasley," interrupted Professor McGonagall with her eyes growing very big. "I don't think we need to hear this part."

"**I think we do!**" Harry rebutted angrily as he jumped up from the couch and into the conversation while looking incensed at Professor McGonagall. "**Because, I'm a little bit sick and tired of not hearing things!**"

"Mr. Potter…"

"Read the letter, Ginny." Harry firmly ordered, while still looking furiously at an indignant Professor McGonagall.

"**Mr. Potter!**" Professor McGonagall bellowed, now standing up as well. Obviously, she was unaccustomed to having her orders countermanded by a student in her own house.

"**Read it!**" Harry barked again while angrily conveying a look to Professor McGonagall that he wasn't backing down and he could care less what the Order, Professor McGonagall, or even Professor Dumbledore thought of it.

A hush of silence spread across the room as Professor McGonagall and Harry engaged in a test of wills and after a long and awkward minute Professor McGonagall nodded to Ginny to continue. She slowly took her seat back on the couch as Harry slowly took his.

_Charlie tells me the place has an Anti-Apparate ward and if things go bad for me to run outside and Apparate back to the Preserve, other than that he wouldn't tell me squat. __**The **__**Git!**_

_Well, we go to the bar and I'm as mad as can be at Charlie for not telling me what's going on, so I sit away from him at the bar counter. Now this Third World Eastern Europe bar makes the Hog's Head look like the Great Hall during Christmas, and I thought the street was filthy. Every downtrodden, filthy being imaginable was in there: bloody vampires, smelly thieving gypsies, mean looking goblins, ugly hags and humpback witches with big moles, and naturally - Death Eaters._

The room gasped as Ginny continued with Harry and Professor McGonagall still trading angry stares with one another.

_I was almost surprise not to see two Dementors in a back booth drinking pints. I took my seat at the bar counter with my back to the whole lot of them in front of a huge clean mirror behind the bartender. Don't ask me why this mirror was clean while nothing else was; I couldn't even begin to tell you why. From the mirror, I could see the whole bar as the two Aurors set at a table with their backs to the wall, while Charlie and his friends set at a booth in the middle of the barroom. _

_I wasn't sure what the mission was about, but for some reason I had a feeling it was about a nervous and sweaty 35 year old wizard sitting alone, two booths away from Charlie. After an hour or so, when Charlie hasn't even tried to make contact with him. I suspected that the man was here to meet someone else. Now keep in mind, the room already had at least four Death Eaters in it by my count. They were all sitting at a table near the front door, and after five minutes of abusing the waitress and the customers around them like a group of Slytherin it was easy to figure out that they must been the advance group._

_Now while I was keeping an eye out for Charlie, I kept busy by trying out some Russian firewhiskey, and a few local pints of grog. Just to stay in disguise, mind you Ginny._

"I bet," snapped Ginny as she rolled her eyes at Ron's excuse to drink, and then listening to another round of laughter from the students behind her.

_Luckily the one good Weasley family trait I have is I'm able to hold my liquor. As for the Aurors, after an hour they haven't even bothered to sip their glass of firewhiskey. This made them quite noticeable to the advance group of Death Eaters, but for some reason they stayed put._

_Finally, after another thirty minutes past by two black hooded and masked figures come into the bar. One of them was carrying a briefcase and the other briefly stopped to speak with the advance group. One of the big thick neck Death Eater in the advance group nodded to the hooded man and waited for both of the hooded men to sit at the nervous and sweating man's table. As soon as they did all four of the advance group Death Eaters stood up and made their way toward the Aurors. _

_Now Harry, I know we've been worried that we won't get accepted into the Auror's program. Well - more me than you, but I got to tell you. If those two clowns can make it, then we are golden!_

_The Aurors, I kid you not, stood up with their wands out as they saw the four Death Eaters coming for them and announced – announced that they were from the Romania Ministry. This is the last thing I would dare say in this bar. I mean, how stupid can you get? I don't think those two could capture Crabbe and Goyle at a candy store._

_I looked over to Charlie, seeing him still wearing the Extendable Ears, on what to do next, but I don't think he heard the Aurors. Not that it mattered as the Aurors and Death Eaters were now shooting spells and curses at one another. At first, I didn't know what to do, but I knew it just be a matter of time before the Death Eaters killed the Aurors. I spun around on my barstool to go help them out when I noticed one of the hooded figures sitting at the table with the really nervous and sweaty man open his briefcase to reveal a stack of parchments in it._

_The idea just came to me, cause a distraction, and at the very least buy some time for me to grab Charlie and get the bloody heck out of there. I pointed my wand inside his briefcase and sent all of the parchments flying across the barroom. Now keep in mind, the bar is in total bedlam as fights are breaking out all over, and most of it not having the least bit to do with us. One of the hooded figures stood up and yelled at the advance group to get the parchments, while the other hooded figure shot a green light at the nervous and sweaty guy. I can only say, now I guess I will be able to see Thestrals when I get back to Hogwarts. As for the Aurors, they were already tied up and stunned by then._

_My first mission with the Order and it was coming off as a giant failure! I just raced over to Charlie, ducking spells, bar chairs, and fights along the way. I got to admit, I was scared! Not that I'll ever admit this to Fred and George, mind you. Then as I'm half way over to Charlie, who was now in a fist fight with a vampire, I managed to see one of the hooded figures take off his mask to see better as he was on the floor frantically collecting parchments scrolls._

_It was__ Antonin Dolohov__! I recognized that long pale, twisted face anywhere._

Ginny listened to the unmistakable noise of Hermione gasping. No doubt, she was suddenly remembering Dolohov as the Death Eater in the Department of Mysteries that almost killed her with his slashing curse. She knew the memory of him still brought out nightmares in Hermione.

_That's when I made an early Christmas wish, I wanted to be able to rip his bloody heart out! I threw a stunning spell at the vampire fighting Charlie and I made a beeline straight for Dolohov._

"**NO!**" Hermione roared, turning everyone's head to look at her worried in the back of the room.

Harry bumped Ginny to continue reading on.

_One of the advance guard Death Eaters saw me coming and shot the killing curse at me, barely missing me by a few inches. I didn't even bother with him as I shot a full body binding spell at Dolohov. By now Charlie's friends were in on the fight and I guess being Dragon handlers that they stuck with what they knew, fireballs. They kept shooting magical fireballs out of their wands at the Death Eaters and even manage to hit one of them. The Death Eater was completely on fire and went running and screaming out of the bar. This was not a smart thing to do as the fireballs are a magical fire and cannot be extinguished by water or rolling around on the ground. I on the other hand had to duck down behind a booth as several of the Death Eaters were shooting hexes at me. I immediately returned spells, jinxes, and everything else I could think of. Merlin, I would've thrown Mom's bloody kitchen sink at them!_

_Right then, Charlie joined me behind the booth, and started to yell at me for all this mess, as we were firing spells at the Death Eaters across the room. I kept screaming it wasn't my fault, but he wouldn't listen or even believe me. It's just like last year, when all the Order members kept saying it was our fault, stupid gits!_

_By now, Dolohov had managed to pull out his wand, and free himself. I know I shouldn't have used it, but it was the first thing that came to my mind… a little poetic justice. I flicked and slashed my wand at him, sending a slashing curse as he stood up and pointed his wand at us. I regret to say, I missed his chest, but I did hit his right arm causing him to drop his wand. He immediately stepped back in pain then took a deep look around at who hit him. He immediately recognized me and growled, "Weasley!" _

_It kinda of gives you a warm feeling to know that this evil, twisted, escape convict, murderous Death Eater, and all around piece of-_

"**Miss Weasley!**" Professor McGonagall gasped, not wanting to hear Ron's profanity description of Dolohov.

"Sorry, ok here," replied Ginny jumping over the bad language.

_-Knew my name. Dolohov turned around and grabbed the other hooded masked Death Eater, who had been busy stuffing the parchment scrolls into his briefcase during the fight. Dolohov yelled and then pushed the hooded Death Eater toward the fireplace, but in the process knocked his hood off._

_Harry, it's time to play do you know your Death Eaters. Let me give you the clue; he's a male with pockmarks and greasy hair._

"Rookwood," Harry answered, no doubt remembering the vision of him informing Voldemort on how to get the prophecy from the Department of Mysteries.

_You guessed it __Augustus Rookwood__. That slimy—_

"Hold on, he has a lot to say about him too." Ginny stated, not saying out loud what Ron wrote because of the bad language in it. "Here's a safe point."

By now Professor McGonagall, Harry and everyone else was on pins and needles for every word that Ginny was reading. She even noticed that Hermione was instinctively busy digging her fingernails into the sides of her face while biting her lip. Even Professor McGonagall was frightened and worried. Hagrid, on the other hand, was boiling mad angry. Harry was angry too and yet worried for his best mate. As for the full standing room of Gryffindor students, they were all crowding forward to hear Ginny's every word.

_I threw a disarming spell at Rookwood and told Charlie and his friends to give me cover. No way was I going to let those Gits escape._

A huge round of cheers broke out in the Common room, pausing Ginny from reading the letter.

_Now, I'm not the smartest wizard in the world, but I saw Rookwood loose his wand and his briefcase at the same time. Now in a middle of a barfight, which one would you go for? Guess which one Rookwood went for. __**The briefcase! **__ I couldn't believe it, so it must have been really valuable in order for him to leave his wand behind._

"My brother, a leading thinker of our time." Ginny impulsively cracked, as she rolled her eyes at Ron for stating the obvious.

The room, Hermione, and even Professor McGonagall chuckled at Ginny's comment.

_By now, the whole bar was an inferno, because of Charlie's friends. All of the patrons and employees had already left leaving the Death Eaters and us behind. The big thick neck Death Eater then shot a spell at me forcing me to dive under a bar table. Oddly, this was a life-saver as flaming pieces of the rafters came landing down all around me. I could only watch as Rookwood flooed away to where ever scum like him go, all the while he was holding the briefcase tightly to his chest. Dolohov quickly followed, but I managed to send him a going away gift. The slashing curse caught his right leg as he flooed away. _

_Still, they got away, __**bugger!**_

Everyone in the room dropped their heads down in disappointment.

_To add to this growing disaster of a huge failure was Charlie screaming at me that we had to get out, as the building was about to collapse from magical fire. This we couldn't do as the remaining Death Eaters were still behind a bar table shooting killing spells at us. Apparently, working for evil in an inferno was a normal day at work for them. They couldn't just leave work early, oh nooo!_

_Then there they set. Two gold goblets that were throw off the bar table. The exact, well almost exact type of goblets that we use in our NEWT Transfiguration class. I didn't even think about what I was going to do next, I just did it like I was in class with Professor McGonagall watching over me. I transfigurate the goblets to big colorful Toucan birds, and on the rarest of occasions I did it right on my first attempt. Then I had the birds attack the Death Eater's behind the table. It was beautiful, they were gauging and pecking them to stand up and forget about us._

_I look up to see a hanging wagon wheel, slightly on fire, with six lanterns on them right above the Death Eaters' heads. I shouted, "Diffindo!" at the chain holding up the lantern wagon wheel and watched as it fell down knocking out two of the Death Eaters. You can tell Hagrid the birds are okay. Charlie managed to stun the big thick neck one and as Merlin is my witness. I said out loud to Charlie and the rest of them to hear, "__**Thank Merlin for Professor McGonagall!**_"

A huge explosion of cheers broke out as everyone started to congratulate a happy and surprised Professor McGonagall.

"You are welcome, Mr. Weasley." Professor McGonagall responded, as if she was talking directly to Ron.

_If I ever hear anyone say, Transfiguration won't help you in a fight or duel then I'm going to walk right up to them and give them a black eye._

"I should hope so, that's the silliest thing I had ever heard of," remarked Professor McGonagall defending the very subject of magic that she teaches and loves.

_I wonder if I had used more Transfiguration spells then the outcome would've been different, but don't tell Professor McGonagall. She will have me writing a three-foot essay on it._

"I was thinking more of a five-foot essay. Miss Weasley, please be so kind as to inform him in your next letter."

"Yes ma'am," Ginny happily answered, smiling at Ron's new homework assignment that she was going to tell him to do.

_They say every dark cloud has a silver lining, but I've seen so few of them - especially lately. Today, however, was the rare exception as underneath the very table that I was still kneeling at set a parchment scroll, and Dolohov's wand. I collected both of them and joined Charlie and his friends helping the wounded Aurors out of the bar._

_Now let me take the time to reflect on this last remaining thought. I just had my first barfight; Fred and George would be proud. Bugger, they might even admit that I'm their younger brother in public._

A huge round of laughter broke out, and even a relieved Ginny couldn't help herself from laughing.

_Finishing this long story up, we got back to the Preserve and got debriefed by Vargas the Director. Charlie wanted to know how one of the Death Eaters knew who I was, but I was still steamed at them for not telling me in the first place that it was an Order mission. Finally, Vargas apologized and told me he reports directly to Professor Dumbledore for Eastern Europe._

Ginny watched as Professor McGonagall groaned and looked exasperated that she was reading classified Order of the Phoenix secrets to the room.

_I then told them it was Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rockwood in the hooded robes. Needless to say, I floored them with both the info and the fact that I would know who they were. Vargas asked me if I was sure. I told them we met before and I pulled out Dolohov's wand as proof. That got their attention as Vargas dispatched an emergency message to Professor Dumbledore._

Professor McGonagall looked even more in pain after she read that. Ginny could tell that she completely regretted her decision for Ginny to read aloud the letter.

_What I didn't tell them about, not that I don't trust them, was the parchment scroll I'm sending to you. Harry, there's not much on it, but it's all I could get. Maybe with Ginny, Luna, Neville, and yes, even HER's help you can figure out what all this bloody thing is about. __Keep me posted__!_

_-Ron_

_PS: I am returning the letter from HER and the Chocolate Frogs bribe that came with it. Untouched!_

_PSS: I also sent Dolohov's wand snapped in half by yours truly. Give one half of it to Susan Prewitt and the other to HER._

"**Miss Weasley, hand me that scroll!**" Professor McGonagall roared when she jumped up from the couch. "**And I must warn all of you not to speak a word of this to anyone!**"

"Professor, I also want to see that." Harry demanded, as he too jumped up to look a commanding Professor McGonagall in the eye that he was just as serious as she was.

"That's the Headmaster's decision and you will accompany me to go see him right now, Mr. Potter."

"Yes ma'am," remarked a defiant Harry collecting Ron's letter, post, parchment scroll and the broken wand to go with a livid Professor McGonagall out of the Gryffindor commons room.

"Now as for the rest of you, go to your rooms. Now!" Professor McGonagall ordered without hesitation before leaving with Harry.

* * *

**A/N:** Please review.


	15. Chapter 15 - Wishing I was a Spoon

**Author's Note: **Short chapter but a good one. One more chapter before we start to get our Hermione back.

:::

* * *

**Chapter 15 - Wishing I was a Spoon**

:::

* * *

**Professor McGonagall's POV:**

Professor Dumbledore said nothing as he studiously read Ron's letter, and then the parchment scroll. After a few minutes more, he turned his attention to the broken wand pieces before finally speaking.

"We thought the mission was a complete failure, but I see after reading a more… detailed report of it from this letter. That it was not a complete loss after all. On the contrary, Mr. Weasley may have secured us a major breakthrough of what Voldemort has been planning in Eastern Europe."

"Not withstanding, Mr. Weasley's bravery and accomplishment, he also withheld information from us." Professor McGonagall reported her concern against Ron's actions.

"**He wouldn't have done that if you had been honest with him beforehand!**" Harry argued, coming to the defense of his fellow classmate and best friend. "It's always the same; you keep us in the dark and treat us like kids. **I don't blame him a bit! I do the same thing!** Now it all makes sense, that's the real reason why you allowed him to go to Romania in the first place."

"Mr. Potter, I have had enough of-" Professor McGonagall argued, as she was very livid and angry at Harry's total lack of respect for her and the Order.

"Minerva, Harry… we are on the same side, but I must warn you Harry that lives including your own are behind this need for secrecy. Yes, you are correct we had alternative reasons on sending Ronald to Romania – the decision and fault lies with me. However, Vargas and Charlie have my full trust and support, Ronald should've had handed this over to them."

"So what are you going to do," asked Harry, at long last had finally come to terms with the seriousness of the situation as he looked toward Albus for guidance.

"I plan to send a message to Vargas that Ronald has my full support, and will be included on all Order business that he has to partake on or is involved with. You, Harry, are to send a message to Ronald that Vargas and Charlie has your full support, and for him to include them in as well. Also, it wouldn't hurt for you to mention not to send any more Order business through the Post."

"Yes sir and the parchment scroll?" Harry requested, looking at the parchment scroll on Professor Dumbledore's desk.

"Ronald is correct; there is not much on it. However, I still have a feeling it will shred a great light on the subject, after it has been properly researched."

"We'll do it," Harry eagerly volunteered.

Albus smiled assuredly that he knew Harry would ask. "Very well, I will leave this to Miss. Granger and yourself." Professor Dumbledore ordered as he handed over the scroll to a surprised and impressed Harry.

"You will have plenty of time to research it as you do a week of detention for me," added Professor McGonagall as she was still a little bit angry with Harry for his open insolence toward her during the reading.

"Yes ma'am, but this wouldn't had happen if you let us in on what's going on every once in a while." Harry admitted with a boyish charm that he so often exhibited.

"I know, Mr. Potter … Harry, that it's frustrating to be in the dark, but it's for your own good. I admit; I've been just as guilty as the rest of the Order for treating you like a child. It's just like Hagrid said tonight, that you are one of my grandkids too. And I'm not going to back down or be yelled at by you, because I'll do whatever I have to do to protect you and the others." Professor McGonagall confessed, in a protective grandmotherly voice of hers that she knows Harry understands and appreciates.

"We be a lot better off if we knew," replied Harry kindly, acting as if he was fully regretting his earlier actions of yelling at her.

"That's becoming to be the case more and more. Now, Harry, back to the scroll - time is of the essences. I need for your friends and you to provide us with some answers, and if for no other reason than for Ronald and Charlie's sake." Professor Dumbledore said, with a true sense of urgency.

"Yes sir, will get them for you, especially for Ron and Charlie." Harry answered immediately.

"Good, and Harry you can deliver these to Miss Prewitt and Miss Granger. They are indeed Dolohov's wand. It's not much, but maybe it will be some comfort to them until we can recapture Dolohov to stand trial for his crimes." Professor Dumbledore added, with a flash of anger in his eyes as he touched Dolohov's broken wand.

"Yes sir. Headmaster, I was wondering... why I couldn't have gone? I mean to Romania with Ron."

"I'm afraid, Harry, he really didn't want you to join him this time. Don't take it personal, Harry, he just needs some time and space to grow his own wings."

"Yes sir, I understand," replied Harry before he left the Headmaster's office with Dolohov's broken wand and the parchment scroll.

Professor Dumbledore walked over to his fireplace, and then threw in a handful of floo powder from a jar on the mantle, before he leaned into it.

"**The Burrow!**"

"**Arthur?!** Arthur… good you're there. Sorry to interrupt your dinner, Molly. Nothing important, you can go back to the kitchen."

"What's wrong, Albus?" Arthur Weasley asked in a worried voice.

"Just wanted to report a bit of good news, I think Ron's letter will do a better job of explaining it than I can. Of course, it might be a good idea to keep this information to ourselves."

"Ron's letter?"

"Yes, good night, Arthur." Professor Dumbledore added, after handing over the letter via the floo network.

"Er… good night, Albus," replied Arthur Weasley, confused as he was now holding Ron's letter.

Professor Dumbledore walked back over to his desk before saying, "The Weasleys' – **quite an extraordinary family!**"

"I wish they had another one, could use them as my replacement Keeper," remarked Professor McGonagall as she smiled at Dumbledore in agreement.

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

"What you watching," asked Harry, as he set down to eat and noticed Ginny looking across the Great Hall.

"Hermione and Draco, it's almost better than One Magic Life to Live," explained Ginny, moving her head around Harry to see the Head couple eating at the Slytherin table.

"What's, One Magic Life to Live?" inquired Harry while filling his dinner plate up with food.

"It's this show, a really great show that I listen to during the summer on the Wizard's Wireless Network during the daytime. They always have some romantic relationships where this girl is going with this guy, or this girl is dating that guy but would really want to date this other guy. And then they cheat and backstab…"

"Soap Opera, daytime soap opera, the muggles have them too." Harry remarked, as he noticed that Ginny was barely listening to him as she was focused more on watching Draco and Hermione similar to the way the Dursleys would watch television.

"Oh no, she didn't… ha-ha… poor Draco," remarked Ginny, shaking her head as she laughed into her plate of food.

"What? Poor Draco?!" Harry howled in disbelief and disgust before turning around to see what Ginny was talking about. "Oh no… she's cutting his beef."

Harry watched as a compassionate, caring, and bossy Hermione was busy cutting Draco's food on his own dinner plate. While a miserable and frustrated Draco kept trying to grab the fork and knife away from Hermione, but she refused to release it as she was nagging him about something that Harry couldn't hear. Whatever it was, Harry could tell from Draco's expression he was definitely getting irritated by it. Then, Harry noticed Draco flashed a quick look and yearning stare at Pansy Parkinson as she left the Slytherin table.

"So Pansy then," commented Harry as he turned his head to see Ginny eating and still watching the Head couple.

"No, I noticed him looking hard at a fifth year Hufflepuff girl." Ginny added, finally looking away from Draco and Hermione back to Harry.

"A little wager then," suggested Harry trying to hold back the redness in his face as he knew what he would like to win. "Say a Galleon if I lose-"

"And if you win?" Ginny asked in a very seductive low voice that made Harry lose all control at keeping the redness out of his face.

Not that it was going to stop him from asking what he wanted to win. "You have to wake me up every morning in my bed with kisses for a week."

"And if you win?" Ginny seductively asked again, while slowly licking her spoon in a sexy display for Harry that made him very much wish that he was the spoon.

"Hey, Harry… **Harry**… you okay? Your face is all red," interrupted Neville sitting beside Harry; who couldn't take his eyes off Ginny eating her pudding.

"What… what?" Harry asked, confused at who was just talking to him. He thought he had heard someone call his name.

Neville shrugged his shoulders as he was looking at Harry's odd reaction before asking, "Harry, do you want Luna and I to meet you in the library tonight?"

"Oh… yeah, right after dinner, but don't tell Hermione." Harry slowly ordered, trying to clear his mind to answer Neville.

"Okay, I'll go tell Luna." Neville replied, standing up from the table to walk over to Luna sitting at the Ravenclaw table.

"Shouldn't we tell Hermione? She knows the Library backwards and forward." Ginny requested, turning her head to look over at Hermione nagging Draco about something as she was pouting and then wagging her finger, no, at Draco.

"Not until Draco dumps her, which will probably be real soon. Shame, now I almost wish they stay a couple for the rest of the term. I just don't think Draco is strong enough to handle that much Hermione."

Harry looked over his shoulder to see a motherly Hermione was wiping Draco's chin and he angrily snatch the napkin out of her hand after the majority of the Slytherin sitting at his table started laughing at him.

"I doubt if he could last another day. Merlin, won't be long before Hermione will have some free time on her hands and can use the work in the Library to get over him." Harry said, thinking a hurt, embarrassed, and heartbroken Hermione would love nothing better than to work research in the Library to help her get over being dumped.

"On the wager, so do we have a deal?"

"On the wager? Yes. Still, I don't feel like it's a fair wager."

"Why?" Harry asked, a little bit timid now at ungentlemanly forcing Ginny into the wager.

"I would've done the morning kisses for free," Ginny honestly remarked, while licking the pudding slowly off her spoon and causing Harry to gulp for air.


	16. Chapter 16 - Hermione to the Rescue

**Author's Rant: ** The Breakup Chapter at last! Now I've seen a few comments that I'm Anti-Hermione and this Draco Hermione ship is absurd. I disagree on the former and agreed on the latter. The whole notion of a Draco Hermione or even a Harry Hermione ship could ever happen was absurd to me from Book 3 on. How could you not see the numerous clues in the books, or even JK Rowling letting it slip at a Press conference after Book 5 that it was going to be Ron Hermione? All the way up to the day before Book 7, the Harry Hermione shippers still foolishly believed it was going to happen. It always amazes me how some people can convince themselves completely and wholeheartedly what is nothing like the truth of what really happened or what is going to happen. Some people prefer to drink the poison teacup and live their last remaining seconds believing their own "truth." Talk about missing the tealeaves at the bottom of the teacup that spells out, "Die Harry Hermione ship, DIE!"

Anyway, I want to thank everyone that has been patient enough to read this far without throwing up in a wastebasket every time they read Hermione and Draco in love.

**:::**

* * *

**Chapter 16 - Hermione to the Rescue**

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione was looking forward to a nice long shower and some quality time with her boyfriend as she made her way back to her Head chamber room after cleaning Dumbledore's office. It was extremely tiring to clean the Headmaster's office the old Muggle way, but there wasn't anything else she could do as the Headmaster put an Anti-Magical Cleaning Hex on it.

As for Draco, she wondered why he never seemed to be around after dinner especially after the match with her so-called former house, Gryffindor.

_All of them are a bunch of petty ingrates for banishing me over some stupid Quidditch match. Stupid prats!_

She definitely did not like that she had been banned from the Gryffindor table and the Gryffindor Common room, but she had to privately admit that she did enjoy being forced to spend more time with Draco. They barely shared enough time together as it was.

"**Draconus Nimbulas!**" Hermione remarked to the portrait of Sir Cadogan guarding the entrance of the Head Boy and Girl suite.

"My we are busy tonight, lucky bloke," Sir Cadogan commented, resting on his sword while standing.

"What's that?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"Nothing… enter Milady," replied Sir Cadogan acting as if he knew something that she didn't.

Hermione simply ignored Sir Cadogan and entered the Head Common's room to find Draco not there. She figured he was most likely in his room as she noticed a black house robe on his favorite armchair. Which was a little unusual as Draco was very much a neat freak, a quality that Hermione loved about him and couldn't imagine being able to put up with someone like Ron, who was a slob on his best day.

_He must have left this to get later. I'll just hang it up for him. _ Hermione thought as she picked up the school robe.

The different color patch on the robe immediately caught her attention. _It's_ _Hufflepuff._

She had to look twice at the emblem on the robe that it was indeed a Hufflepuff house emblem and this froze Hermione in awkward doubt. She then slowly held the robe out to notice that it was a girl's robe. She slowly put the robe back onto the armchair and started to sweep the room with her detail noticing eyes. By the stairs to Draco's room was a Hufflepuff house tie. Next to the end table by the fireplace was Draco's Slytherin house robe. On the bottom step was a small black leather purse. The umbrella stand by the stairs was knocked over as if someone was in a rush to go upstairs to Draco's room.

Slowly a new sensation swept over her as fear spread across Hermione's body as her brilliant mind and loving heart clashed with possible reasons on why she was seeing what she was seeing. She knew whatever answers there were to be had would be in Draco's room, but the current battle of wills between her heart and mind would not let her move.

-Creak-creak-creak-

Hermione could hear a faint rhythm creaking sound from Draco's room. She immediately recognized it as Draco's bed frame, after hearing it so many times with Draco and her snogging on top of it for the last two months. Her legs slowly started to move up the stairs leading up to Draco's room. With every step, she made up the stairs her heart retreated backwards in a rout from the battle with her mind. She noticed on the stairs were Draco's pants and tie scattered about. She bravely continued to walk up the stairs as she heard the creaking of Draco's bed frame started to make a higher frequency.

-Creak-creak-creak-creak-

Hermione inhaled a breath of air and held it in as she slowly opened Draco's door. She felt completely limp as her body and mind went numb with fear for what was about to happen next. She fully opened the door to see a young dirty blonde hair naked girl bouncing up and down on top of a pale, pointed face Draco Malfoy with a huge smug expression on his face as he looked up to see Hermione as she entered his bedroom.

"Don't you knock? I'm doing some winning celebration, grunt, as I never really got a chance, grunt, what with you never putting out." Draco boasted, as he grabs the shocked and frozen girl by her hips to keep her from getting off him. "I'm not done Martha – **keep going!**"

"How could you?! I thought you loved me," whimpered Hermione falling to the back of the wall, as her knees were unable to stand her up straight.

"**Keep going! Faster**... you know you want it." Draco ordered at the Hufflepuff girl, who immediately responded by continuing to have sex with him. Draco turned his attention back over to a heart-broken and immobile Hermione.

"We had our fun, and I got my victory. Now it's time for you to move on, Mudblood." Draco bragged, while looking hard at a crying Hermione barely able to stand.

As soon as Draco had said, _Mudblood_, a crying Hermione run out of his room.

:::

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

"She hasn't shown up to any of her classes or even the meals." Harry said to Neville, Luna, and Ginny sitting beside him in the Great Hall.

Everyone couldn't help but noticed that Draco was extremely happy and laughing with his goons at the Slytherin table minus Hermione.

"Harry, I checked the classrooms, the library, Hagrid's hut, by the lake, her room, and even the Requirement Room – I can't find her. If Hermione is still here, we are going to have to use your map to find her." Ginny explained in frustration and with a tint of frantic worry.

"Blimey, okay let's all go to the Library and check one more time. Then I'll go get the map and you three can start working on the scroll." Harry ordered, as he was starting to feel a pang of conscience for the second time this school year. It was the second time he had not told his best friends the painful truth beforehand.

"Harry, I remembered an old article in the Quibbler that had symbols that looked similar to these. I compared the symbols on the scroll to the article and I think they're definitely Ancient Welsh." Luna said, sitting closely beside Neville with a dreamy look on her face.

"Let's hope so. Great work, Luna." Harry replied, amazed the Quibbler would be useful in a research project or anything else for that matter. "Now, I guess we need to translate it, but let's find Hermione first."

:::

* * *

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione had been using this special gap between three Restriction bookshelves ever since her first year. She could access any of the books sitting on the shelves and still hide back in there without ever being seen by Madam Pince, the Librarian, or anyone else other than the off chance of someone picking up a restricted book and looking deep into the cracks of the bookshelf. Over the years, only she knew about her own special hideaway. As this was where she would often go to hide after rowing with Ron, or to escape the pressure of school and the war. She always felt safe in her own secret sanctuary at Hogwarts deep inside the Library.

Unfortunately, Hermione had spent the last night and day inside her secret sanctuary, crying. Her crying was followed with bouts of moaning and the occasional whimper. As of right now, she had moved away from the teary-eyed stage of regret to the sniffling state of utter acceptance. Acceptance reminded her of her worst hidden fear since coming to Hogwarts. Her worst fear was of having no friends and being hated to the point of not being accepted at Hogwarts as she was inadequate - had finally come to pass. To add to this was the personal pain and humiliation caused by Draco Malfoy, her now ex-boyfriend, who never really loved her at all.

Hermione had to silence her whimpering to hear a small voice approaching the Restriction section.

"Nowhere, you don't suppose she quit," said a voice that sounded like Ginny's just outside of her secret sanctuary.

"I don't think so, unless she found out Draco was only using her to get rid of Ron and then to set in the stands against us to help him win the Quidditch match." A voice like Harry's said, standing next to the other voice.

"I should've sucker punched him in the mouth, when he called Hermione his cow in the stands," Ginny remarked angrily.

Hermione opened her mouth wide in shock and horror. The memory of Draco's last words came buzzing back to haunt her. "_We had our fun, and I got my victory. Now it's time for you to move on, Mudblood_."

She had forgotten about him saying, "_and I got my victory_," as she had only focused on being called a _Mudblood_ once again from Draco.

Hermione could suddenly feel her body's epidermal skin quickly starting to burn from where ever Draco had previously touched her. The heat was all over her body and the burning just increased in intensity even as she tried to ignore it.

"You didn't know it was her at the time, otherwise I would've join you," replied a comforting Harry. "Hey - speaking of, which girl do you think Draco shag?"

"It was Martha from Hufflepuff. She has been bragging to all her friends for most of the day about it. Apparently, Hermione caught them in the act and they kept on going," Ginny stated.

"**Ferret!** We need to find her. Ginny… I didn't want to say this, but Dumbledore said Ron and Charlie's lives depend upon us researching this parchment scroll and fast." Harry said, with a sense of urgency to Ginny.

"Harry, why didn't you tell me!" snapped an angry Ginny.

"**Shhh!** Gin, I didn't want to upset you. I need you to remain calm and we are going to need Hermione if we're ever going to solve this." Harry ordered, as he by no-doubt held Ginny closer to him as Hermione can hear the sound of fabric rubbing against another fabric.

"I'll keep looking for Hermione," Ginny whimpered.

"No, we wasted enough time; I'll go back up to my room and get the map. You stay here and help Luna and Neville translate that scroll." Harry ordered, in his full saving-life thing he does so often.

"Okay, Harry." Ginny said weakly.

"Ginny, one more thing your Galleon will be underneath my pillow. You can come by in the morning to pick it up." Harry said in what sounded like a happier mood.

**Phff!**

After what definitely sounded like a kiss from Harry, Ginny started to give orders. "Now stop wasting time and go find Hermione. Tell her we still care about her and we need her, now more than ever."

Hermione listened to both of them walk away and instantly felt a new sensation in her body. It was a new pressure on her heart, fear - not for her, but for Ron. With Harry's words of, "_Ron and Charlie's lives depend upon us_." This kept flashing across Hermione's mind, and even though her body's skin was demanding for her to take a cleansing shower. Her heart and mind were in perfect agreement about something else. She had to save Ron.

Hermione stood up and collected herself by adjusting her robes, school uniform, unruly bushy hair, and finally her Head Girl badge. As leadership was in her opinion closely linked to personal appearance. She didn't have a mirror to check her face so she wiped it for the last time.

_I have to save Ron... He couldn't possibly survive on his own without my help. I have to do it._

She felt a little bit of trepidation as she slid past the bookshelves and stepped out of her secret sanctuary. She reminded herself that she was a Gryffindor and her courage and bravery will let her ignore the pain from all the pointing, whispering gossip, and hidden laughter from others. Right now, the only thing that matter to her was to save Ron. No one else not Draco, Voldemort, or stupid-finger-pointing-gossiping-ridiculing students was ever going to stop her from doing just that.

Hermione marched straight up to a back table in the library where Luna, Neville, and a worried Ginny were all sitting around a parchment scroll and an old magazine of the Quibbler.

"Luna, what have you got so far?" Hermione demanded in her most authoritarian voice.

All of them spun their heads around to see Hermione with a firm determined expression on her face.

"Hello, Hermione," replied Luna breaking the silence as she was looking straight at Hermione and not blinking for a second.

"**Hermione!**" Ginny roared to her and then jumped up from the table and rushed over to hug her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know we should have told you he was going to do that, but we didn't think you would believe us."

Hermione softened under the warm hug from a caring Ginny. Even the itching and burning of her skin was turning milder. There was just something about a warm Weasley hug that always made her feel warm and safe.

"It's okay, Ginny, but that's not important right now." Hermione whispered, with Ginny pulling out of the hug and smiling at Hermione.

"What have you found out about the scroll?" Hermione said in a stronger voice.

"Luna, with the help of an old Quibbler article discovered the scroll is written in Ancient Welsh symbols." Neville proudly answered.

The news about the Quibbler being useful for something shocked her a bit, but given the last day of her world being turned upside down it sort of made sense.

"Luna, I take back everything I ever said against the Quibbler." Hermione professed, as she set down beside Luna and looked at the parchment scroll and an old Quibbler article about Ancient Welsh symbols. The title on the scroll had already been translated by Luna to read, "**Healing Powers Potency**."

"Welcome back, Hermione," Neville stated, speaking for all of them as he watched her read the Quibbler.

Hermione felt a little bit stronger in her heart as her true friends were supporting her and promised herself never to forget the meaning and importance of having real friends.

After five minutes of her silently reading the article about Ancient Welsh symbols, a winded Harry came running up to the table carrying the Marauder's Map and a surprised expression. Hermione started barking orders before Harry and the others even started to ask where she had been.

"Good, now that Harry has finally decided to join us, late I might add. Here is what I want all of you to do. Neville, I have a feeling that Rookwood will be using some exotic Eastern Europe plant for his research, as that is where he is. Gather books on the subject and look for something that has a super magical power for healing. Luna, on the third bookshelf in the Runes and Symbols section, I remember seeing a book of Welsh Symbols and Runes. Go get it and we can add that to what's in the Quibbler. Ginny, look for books on Potions and Healing Spells that will concern Eastern Europe and something Voldemort could use. Second aisle by the door, on the bottom row will be the best place to start. Harry, stop smiling, I need you to pick up several quills, ink jars, blank scrolls, and coffee. It's going to be a long night."

"Yes ma'am." Harry immediately responded with a look of amazement at her. He even warmly kissed her on the cheek. "Welcome back, Hermione, don't ever leave us again."

Hermione stiffened as it magically brought the last image she saw of Ron.

_Ron cleared the giant front wooden doors and without looking back, he took off into the sunrise._

_**Ron! RON!**__ Hermione screamed at him as she felt an unexplainable feeling of remorse and pain at watching Ron fly away._

Hermione swore at that very moment that would not be her last contact with Ronald Weasley.

"Don't just stand there, **MOVE!**" Hermione roared to all of them, causing a rush of her friends leaving on their assigned tasks.

:::

* * *

**A/N:** I want to apologize for the Present and or Past tense issues that I've been having. It's tough to have everything past tense, especially in conversation between characters or in actions scenes. If you see something, then just PM me and I'll make the necessary changes. Don't worry, I don't bite people heads off for pointing out my bad grammar. I'm well aware of it. I tend to bite people's heads off when they are behaving like an arse.


	17. Chapter 17 - I need more soap!

**Author's Rant:** My apology for not posting in a while, but I've been rather socially busy as of late. This brings me to my latest rant in all things that are Harry Potter… well sort of. First and foremost, I want to say emphatically that a symphony is a symphony. _Stay with me on this_. Now some might say that a symphony that has oh… let's just say Bugs Bunny cartoons playing on the big screen behind a full orchestra does not fully qualify as a symphony. However, I beg to differ, afterall the name of the social event is "_**Bugs Bunny goes to the Symphony**_" and if symphony is in the title of the show then it certainly qualifies.

Now for my latest social event that I'm planning to attend it is one of the newest Broadway shows making the rounds, "_**Potted Potter**_". _Yes, it made me inhale with a deep breath of ire too._ Apparently, this unauthorized tragic larceny of a heap of dung… _wait that's not fair. I haven't seen it yet_.

_Breathe deep. Calm your nerves._

_Better… _

This new show is promising to do in 70 minutes the entire 7 books of Harry Potter in a parody no less.

_Why do I get the feeling I'm going to be madder than Yosemite Sam? _

I think the difference here is that the Bugs Bunny cartoons had opera and classical soundtracks in them to begin with and skilled musicians carried it over in great respect. Naturally, I'm guessing the "_**Potted Potter"**_ show has a bunch of third-rate actors from the Daffy Duck Thespian Academy mocking the serious literature works of JKR.

I have a feeling "_They're des-pick-able_" will be running in my thoughts for the entire night. I'll let you know… adh.. adh.. adh.. **That's all folks**.

**:::**

* * *

**Chapter 17 - I need more soap!**

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione spent the entire day and night in the library skipping classes, meals, and sleep. Personally, she didn't even care about it, as only researching the scroll really mattered to her. It wasn't until an adamant Harry forcefully ordered her to go to dinner that she finally took a break. Of course, Harry practically had to drag her body out of the library to do it.

When she had finally gotten to the Great Hall, she reflected that this was her first dinner after breaking up with Draco. By the time, she took a seat at the Gryffindor table she could almost feel the finger pointing, the whispering, and the giggling from all the other students in the Great Hall directed toward her. For whatever illogical reason it made her skin crawl with itching and burning from whenever and wherever Draco had touched her in the past. She tried to ignore all of it as she was solemn eating. However, by the time desserts had magically appeared she noticed Draco flashing a fake smile toward her followed by an uproar of laughter from the entire Slytherin table.

It was then that made Hermione's skin burn in a rash of pain. She scratched and she scratched with her fingernails but the burning rash was spreading like fire across her skin. It was becoming unbearable and soon she was gaining the attention of Harry and Ginny sitting across from her at the Gryffindor table.

"Hermione… are you alright?" Harry worriedly asked.

Hermione instead heard another round of laughter from the Hufflepuff, and then the Slytherin table, and then the Ravenclaw table until it finally ended up at the Gryffindor table. Her entire body felt like it was on fire. She jolted up from the Gryffindor table, and raced off toward the Gryffindor girl's dormitory. Luckily, a few first years were coming out of the Fat Lady entrance as she dashed between them with the Portrait door still opened and the Fat Lady screaming at her.

"**Stop! You aren't allowed in here!**"

She dashed up the girl's stairway ignoring the Fat Lady's yelling and then leaped into the seventh year's showers. She had to borrow Lavender's soap and shampoo that was left out by the sink to frantically rub her skin and hair with while she was undressing in the shower. She wanted Draco off her, and she was willing to scrub as long as it took for him to be off her body completely.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny asked, standing outside the showers ten minutes later.

"No, I need more soap. **He won't come off!**" Hermione wailed, as she frantically rubbed her skin raw.

"What won't come off," Ginny replied, as she was collecting her wet clothes scattered around the shower.

"**Draco!** I can't get his filthy touch off me." Hermione cried, as she started to scrub even more frantically to cleanse the burning.

Ginny dropped the clothes back down on to the counter sink and instead got a bath towel and night robe for Hermione.

"Hermione, only time can get him off you." Ginny remarked, turning off the shower and then wrapping a bath towel around her. She was literally shaking as Ginny dried her off before putting her in a warm cotton robe.

"Shh… I know. You're not the first girl to date a creep. You just have to move on and find your soulmate."

"Ginny, I… I don't want to go back to my room. I can't… I don't want to ever see him again." Hermione pleaded, as she completely opened up to Ginny at how vulnerable and alone she really was. Ginny reached out and hugged her for support and that is when she finally broke down and cried on Ginny's shoulder.

"Sh..sh..sh. It's okay, Hermione, you can sleep on my bed. You can use Ron's old jumper I have and some of my sweats to sleep with. I'll sleep elsewhere." Ginny told her while walking her down to the 6th year girl's room and her bed.

"**Crookshanks!**" Hermione yelled, after seeing her lost cat napping on Ginny's bed. "Is this where you been?"

The red ginger cat looked up and started to purr at the sight of Hermione. "**Meow! Purrrr!**"

"He's been with me ever since Ron left." Ginny offered, as Hermione hugged, kissed and petted Crookshanks.

"You know, he never did get along with Draco." Hermione acknowledged, deciding to trust Crookshanks' opinion more often.

"I think he misses Ron too." Ginny remarked, as Hermione remembered Crookshanks getting along with Ron a lot better since 3rd year mainly for her sake.

Hermione looked around her old 6th year room and noticed there was not a spare bed in it.

"Ginny, I can't take your bed. I'll just sleep in the Commons room. You shouldn't be the one to sleep in there tonight." Hermione decided, while putting on Ginny's sweats and Ron's old Weasley maroon jumper with a big gold 'R' on it to wear for bed.

"Commons room?" Ginny bewilderedly asked, looking surprised at Hermione's suggestion. "Oh… you mean, yeah, no don't worry about me. You just go to sleep in my bed."

**:::**

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

Harry woke up not with the kisses of Ginny as he had hoped for, but the coldness of his feet, because he discovered in the middle of the night that he had no covers on top of them. What he did have was a beautiful red hair girl on his bed pressed up against him slightly snoring into his pillow. That was when Harry instantly knew three things at that particular moment on a freezing two o'clock December night. First, Ginny was even more beautiful asleep than awake. Second, she was a major blanket hog! And third, that if he wanted to get any sleep that he would have to wake her up to get some of the blankets back.

The perfect idea on how to wake her up struck him.

He smiled to himself as he leaned over and started to passionately kiss Ginny on the lips. After a few seconds, she slowly returned the kiss before she even opened her eyes. Her lips were smooth as silk and a rush of joy and excitement swept over him as she responded even more with her tongue devilishly playing against his lips and tongue.

_Ten times better than Cho ever was. Merlin, I should've been doing this from-_

"I was supposed to do that in the morning," remarked Ginny with a huge smile on her face after breaking for air and then opening her eyes to see him.

"I couldn't wait," Harry replied a little bit bolder than usual as he scooted closer to her on his bed.

"I bet you do that to all the girls on your bed." Ginny suggested, as she looked up worriedly into Harry's eyes.

"I wouldn't know you're the first girl I ever had up here with me." Harry honestly remarked.

"Well then aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?"

Harry thought he should, but quickly realized he didn't care a knut what the reason was. "No, couldn't care less - just glad that you are."

"I'm going to have to stop here more often." Ginny smiled rather happily.

"Fine with me, but Gin."

"Yes, Harry."

"Can you give me back some of the blankets?" Harry implored, as Ginny's face quickly turned from ecstasy to reluctance.

**:::**

* * *

**Hermione's POV:**

The only thing that brought Hermione out of the library without Harry or Ginny almost dragging her out of there was Ginny reading Ron's letter on Friday night. In fact, she was early and re-took her seat at the front couch alongside Ginny and Harry. Happily, she was no longer being banished from the Gryffindor Commons room and table after Harry apologized for doing that to her. Actually, it wasn't per say an apology, more of an explanation instead.

"Hermione, I told the rest of the house that we're letting you back in." Harry offered, as he walked up to a miffed Fat Lady with Hermione by his side.

"**That's it – **no apology for banishing me from my own house!" Hermione pouted in disbelief.

Harry stopped walking and turned his head to give Hermione a deep scowl before saying the password.

"**Loyalty!**"

"Loyalty indeed," answered the Fat Lady, who returned a nasty look at Hermione before swinging her portrait to open.

Harry said nothing more to her on the subject and she could've sworn he mumbled, "Ron's problem."

In-spite of the not-needed drama around her, she was hoping tonight to read a separate and private letter from Ron. She had written a super long six-foot parchment apology and explanation to Ron on how and why she had broken up with Draco. She wanted to be the first to explain to him on what really happened minus the gory nasty parts and try to re-establish their friendship. If Ron could learn how to work with Dragons then he could certainly learn to be more sensitive and reasonable. Of course, all of that happening was a long shot but she was banking on one of Ron's very few fine qualities of him always defending her and coming to her rescue. Hopefully, that single good trait of his would make him write back to her privately this time.

A stirring of students in the back of the Commons room broke Hermione from her thoughts.

"Oh goody, I hope you don't mind me joining you, ever since Professor McGonagall and Hagrid have been telling me all about Mr. Weasley's letters. I've been eager to hear them myself." Professor Flitwick said, in his usual high pitch voice and very enthusiastic manner. "Hello, Miss Lovegood, mind if I sit with you?"

"Not at all, Professor," Luna replied dreamily, as she helped her Head of House climb onto the couch to sit beside Professor McGonagall, and herself.

Ginny set in the center of the couch with Harry, Hermione with a purring Crookshanks on her lap and Hagrid to the left of her. On the right of Ginny set Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Luna, and Neville. Behind the couch stood the entire Gryffindor house with a few of them having dates from various other houses. Even the Gryffindor House portraits was filled to capacity with various wizards and witches that had come to visit from other portraits. Harry had even jokingly suggested to Hermione and Ginny that if this kept up that they would have to move the reading outside.

Ginny shook her head at Harry's suggestion before she opened up Ron's letter. Instantly, the room became silent as Ginny started to read aloud.

**:::**

* * *

**A/N**: Please review.


	18. Chapter 18 - Meeting Zeus

**Chapter 18 - Meeting Zeus**

**:::**

* * *

**Harry's POV:**

_Dear Ginny,_

_I got Harry's letter and Chocolate Frogs a couple of days ago, and Vargas and Charlie got a letter from Professor Dumbledore about the same time as I did. We had a heated discussion on the matter, but they agreed to treat me as an adult, and I promised to be more forthcoming. I also got the warning about discussing 'Anti-Dragon Business' in the post, so I will be a lot more careful, if you get my meaning_.

Professor McGonagall leaned forward on the couch past Ginny and shared a respectful nod toward Harry. Harry smiled back to her as the hostility between them had greatly decreased after getting through a week of detention with her. She had him help Hermione on researching the scroll and to catch up on all his schoolwork with Professor McGonagall's help.

_Oh, forgot to tell you in the last letter, after I got back from the bar the other night. I noticed five magic spell burns on Charlie's old Dragon-hide jacket that I was wearing. Didn't even know I got hit with them, __**Wow**__! I have to say they're very useful jackets to own and wear, so I went down to the gift store with Charlie and put four of them on lay-away. Which means part of my salary for being a Co-op will automatically be used to pay for them by the time I return. Yes, Ginny, you can have the choice of a ladies Green Dragon-hide jacket or a ladies Chinese red Dragon-hide jacket. This will be your late Christmas present, providing you keep these letters away from Mom, and the pictures away from Fred and George_.

"**Yes! Green! Definitely green!**" Ginny shouted, as she jumped up and down in her seat in celebration.

_Now to the part Hagrid is waiting for, Dragon news. I spent all week learning over thirty different Dragon spells to use: everything from internal healing, to repairing their wings, to sealing their hides of cuts, and even a powerful shield charm to use against fireballs and most minor spells. It works different from Protego, the shielding charm, as it can also protect you from physical objects thrown at you. Going to have to teach you that one Harry for the next DA meeting, - that's if I decide to take you back as my Best Mate, that is._

Harry impulsively rolled his eyes after hearing that.

_As for Hagrid grandkids, (See Picture #1 through #4), they've grown at least two feet in just over a week, amazing really! Ron and Hermione are still shooting fireballs at one another; Harry is a natural at flying and was the first to do so. Neville can walk now, but keeps getting hurt while trying to fly. Luna keeps on watching everyone with great interest. Then there is Ginny. Ginny likes to sneak up behind me and spit fireballs at my butt. Charlie, of course, was not able to warn me about Ginny sneaking up on me, but he was able to find the time to pull out the camera, find a good spot, and take a picture of it. (See Picture #5)_

"Miss Weasley, may I?" Professor Flitwick interrupted, as he took the picture from Ginny and enchanted it to expand to the size of a big screen TV floating above the mantle of the fireplace for everyone to see.

"It's like being at the movies," said Seamus watching a moving picture of a small green and blue Dragon sneak up on Ron from behind and spit a small fireball at his butt. This caused a surprised Ron to jump and holler in pain as he frantically patted out the flames with his Dragon gloves.

"**HAA-HA!"** The entire room roared in laughter.

"I like her," Ginny simply remarked, smiling at her namesake Dragon over the roar of laughter in the room.

_I also learned a nice water hose spell this week. Which I turned around and used on Ginny, the little monster git! (See Picture #6) So reminds me of you. __**AAGGHH!**_

Everyone looked up at the new picture after Professor Flitwick demonstrated the wand movement and spell for Hermione to use. The laughter was instantaneous as they watched a scowling Ron chase after a small smiling Dragon through the grassy fields with water shooting out of his wand. Followed by the Dragon, Ginny, changing direction at the last second to avoid a stream of water and Ron turning around to reveal a huge burnt hole in his pants and that he was wearing his orange Chudley Canon underwear.

_Anyway, Charlie took me to meet the Magister (Chief) Dragon of the Preserve. They call him Zeus and he's a very old Romanian Longhorn Dragon. (See Picture #7) He has a huge cave on the side of an old volcanic mountain and he lived with a couple of his siblings in there. One of them is called Apollo, who I come to like. At the morning feedings, he always makes sure everyone eats breakfast before he does - my type of leader. Then there is Hades, who is the namesake and personality of Draco Malfoy. He's always in the center of trouble with the other Dragons, especially Norbert and the staff. He has already sent Charlie to the hospital at least three times this year. Everyone says, "You always have to keep an eye on that one."_

_Anyway, Charlie promised me that we would go see the elder Magister Dragon and I made him keep it. Thereby, when he took me to go see him he taught me beforehand how to approach him and any other Dragon. Now the thing about introducing yourselves to Dragons is that you have to stop, stand still, and then let them sniff you. If they like you then you can just go about your business. If not, well, __**you had just better hope they like you!**__ Charlie told me all about the long line of Magister Dragons that Zeus came from. He also told me how it took over three years before Zeus would even sniff him. Unfortunately, I don't have three years and Charlie warned me not to be surprise, if he didn't happen at all. Then Charlie told me Zeus hadn't sniffed more than half the staff at the Preserve. _

_After a long walk into the back of the cave past the Magister's siblings, Charlie and I found Zeus as he was still sleeping. Oh, by the way I now know what our school motto means. Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillanous. Never tickle a sleeping Dragon. Why do I get the feeling Professor Dumbledore picked that to be our motto._

_Zeus suddenly woke up to see us standing in front of him in his sleeping chamber. Now I have to tell you, I can never get use to a Dragon suddenly opening their giant eyelids to reveal huge yellow and black eyes. It just makes you want to jump on a broomstick and fly out of there for your life. Which I about did as Charlie and me were both carrying our own broomsticks for safety._

"I know the feeling," muttered Harry as he remembered looking at his Dragon during fourth year in the Tri-Wizards Competition.

_Zeus picked his head up, scowled, and then looked bewildered at the both of us. I guess by now he thought he was seeing double as he shook his head. Then he sniffed Charlie and to my surprise, he sniffed me. Being sniffed, well it kind of feels like you are going to be sucked up into his huge nose. That's a pretty scary thought, as you would be nothing more than a giant Dragon buggar waiting on him to blow his nose for you to get back out._

"Eeew," shrieked most of the girls in the room.

_Zeus seemed to recognize that we're brothers and returned his head back to his sleeping position. Now, I don't know why I did it, but I just couldn't help myself. I walked right over to him and started to feel and pat his long greenish cheek. I guess I felt an almost instant affection for him, as if he reminded me of our Grandfather. Ginny, we never really spent much time with our Grandparents before they died and even today, I wish we did. I know you feel the same way too._

Harry noticed Ginny flashed a pain of regret before she continued reading on.

_Zeus, shocked at first as very few humans are allowed to touch him, gradually didn't seem to mind. However, Hades and even Apollo did, as they both came stomping into Zeus' chamber looking angrily at Charlie and especially me. Zeus seemed to study me with his eyes and then he allowed me to continue to the amazement of even Charlie. (See Picture # 8) He even raised his head and twisted it at his siblings to signal to them to get out of his chamber. This made Hades give me a look that would've made Professor Snape impressed. Apollo, on the other hand, seemed to be curious at whom I was and as we left he stopped us to sniffed Charlie and me before we could leave. I think he likes me too_.

"See, Hermione, you just need a good heart. They can tell who has one." Hagrid bragged to a surprised Hermione as he was watching an enchanted picture of Ron patting Zeus on his long greenish cheek.

Harry noticed that Hermione didn't say anything and looked as if she was contemplating Hagrid's words in her mind. She just kept staring at the picture of Ron wearing a goofy smile as he petted Zeus.

_When I'm not working with the Dragons, I either spend my free time with Jane on NEWT Transfiguration, NEWT Charms, or till this week working on a huge five-foot essay for Strategies on Transfiguration for Professor McGonagall. __**Thanks for that!**__ I cannot believe you showed my letter to her, as if I already got plenty of free time on my hands now. __**AAGGH!**_

"Actually, Miss Weasley, please tell your brother I would love to read a five foot essay on all those new charms he learned." Professor Flitwick interrupted to Ginny.

"I'll be happy to tell him, Professor," replied Ginny with a huge smirk on her face.

_Now for some Quidditch news, guess who is going to play starting Seeker and Keeper for the Romania National team? You guessed it – __**Charlie and me!**_

"**What?!**" Harry chocked, almost falling off the couch.

_Every Friday night when we don't have Anti-Dragon business we, the staff, play a pick-up game of Quidditch just outside of the camp. I must say I was superb, as I didn't let them score a single time. As for Charlie, he was even better. I think Madam Hooch is right about Charlie giving Harry a run for his money as Seeker. He's still that good, even after all these years._

_What I didn't notice, other than Harry the Dragon being a show off by catching the Quaffle in mid-air, was a National Team Scout in the stands watching us. Apparently, two of their players are out sick and they asked us to play for them next week. _

Harry felt a wave of jealousy splashed across him and the thought of throttling Ron when he got back for not taking him with him.

_However, Charlie and I said thank you, but no. As we didn't have time what with all the other stuff, we were doing. He understood and then wished we would reconsider as they were playing Bulgaria next Thursday._

_I immediately asked, "__Bulgaria as in Vicky Krum?_"

Harry looked over to see Hermione's eyes opened up wider than golf balls.

"_Yes, er… Victor Krum is there starting seeker." He said, and "Yes," I said over Charlie's, "No." Not only do we get to beat Vicky. I like saying that…We get to beat Vicky. Moreover, I get a week of a Professional Quidditch Player salary, 500 Galleons. __**Can you believe it?**__ That's more money than I see in my lifetime. Merlin, I didn't even have the heart to tell them that I would've done it for free. __**Not that I am going to either!**_

_Luckily, I got Charlie and me to have a week off from the Preserve. Vargas, our boss, is a Romanian and is a huge fan of the National Team so he let us off, but we still have to do Anti-Dragon Business at night. Hope the Romania team doesn't have a curfew. _

_Charlie says hey and he will use the money to get you some great Christmas presents_.

"Fine by me," remarked Ginny smiling at her brothers' good fortune in the hope it gets her an expensive Christmas presents.

_Hey, you must have told Fred and George about last week's letter and my first barfight. They sent me a congratulations box of Extendable Ears, trick-candy, and a few Chocolate Frogs. I wouldn't touch those Chocolate Frogs if my life depended on it, so I gave them to Ginny_.

"Hey, don't you hurt my Dragon," snapped Ginny looking angrily at the letter.

_I regret to say they weren't tricked and she liked them so much, she with the help of Jane stole half of my other supply of Chocolate Frogs from Harry, the real one not the Dragon. __**Harry, I need more!**__ I'll trade you a Romania Quidditch national team poster for them. _

Harry couldn't help but to roll his eyes as he now has to make another trip to Hogsmeade to buy more Chocolate Frogs for Ron.

_As for Anti-Dragon business news. Just a lot of looking for 'Poachers' we did, nothing yet. Any luck on that 'note' I passed to you earlier. We could use an answer on that. _

-_**Ron**_

_PS: I sending you know whose letter back__**, **__**unread**__**! It was huge!**__ If I didn't read the small one with the Chocolate Frogs what made HER think I would read this long one? _

_PPS: I also sent you my five-foot essay for Professor McGonagall. Jane was a big help on it._

_PPPS: I forgot to say congratulations on beating Slytherin last week. With everything that had been going on I totally forgot about it, but I know you guys pulled out another win. I would've loved to seen Draco's face after getting beat yet again. Did Snape give the ferret a few weeks of detention for losing, like last year? Serves him right and I hope he chokes on it._

_PPPPS: Ginny told me last week that Neville got my Keeper spot. I know, Neville, who can always surprise you, did an excellent job as my replacement and even now, I'm starting to worry that I won't get my old job back._

"He can have it," declared Neville remembering the beating he got from the match as his fellow housemates chuckle alongside him.

**:::**

* * *

**A/N:** I'm feeling creative as of late. I think I can even write up a new chapter. I'm even thinking about attempting to go professional with a really cool idea bouncing around my head. There's a lot of empty space in there… so good ideas tend to bounce around.

Please review, and not just Favorite me!


End file.
